Hawk Swoop was out for a night hunt. This was her first hunting mission in the dark, but Tall Shadow convinced Skystar that they would need this skill. Jackdaw's Cry and Falling Feather were somewhere else in the woods. She wished Fire Heart could be with them, but Gray Wing had said he wasn't ready yet. He hadn't even gotten his first solo hunting mission in daytime.

She heard squeaking above her and looked up to see some bats fluttering around the trees. Nervously, she started to climb the tree. Just don't look down. Don't look down… she kept telling herself. She looked down.

She squeaked and clinged onto a branch, trembling nervously. How can cats hunt in trees at all? She thought. It had always been so weird and unnatural to her. She'd rather run after her prey on the flat ground, thank you very much.

She felt something touch against her ear tip and she jumped in alarm, heart pounding wildly as she suddenly fell to the ground. She inhaled sharply when her leg crumbled beneath her and began to sting and pulse with pain.

"Help!" She cried as loud as she could but it came out as a weak rasp. Luckily, her mentor had been nearby at the time and came running up. He inspected her and sighed.

"Let's get you to Dappled Pelt. Or Cloud Spots." She leaned on him heavily and they made their slow way back to camp. Soon she was pushed into a nest and Dapped Pelt examined her hurt foreleg. She suddenly sighed in relief and Shaded Moss stopped his worried pacing.

"What?"

"She's just wrenched it. Once I pull it back into place she'll be all good." The tortoiseshell grabbed a couple of herbs.

"Thank StarClan …" Hawk Swoop murmured.

"But…it's gonna hurt."

"...help me, StarClan."

It had been three moons since Fire Heart had joined SkyClan. Early morning sunlight streamed onto the forest floor as Fire Heart looked around for prey. He felt at ease in the forest now. He paused to scan the undergrowth.

The young ginger tom was on his first solo hunting trip. He was determined to do well. He headed for a nearby stream. It gurgled and spattered, running downhill over smooth, round pebbles. Fire Heart paused to lap at some water.

Suddenly, a tiny heartbeat pounded in his ears. A water vole was busy building its nest just upstream.

It was fat and brown, scampering about as it took grass stalks for its nest. The young tom's mouth watered. He hadn't eaten yet, and he couldn't until he'd fed the Clan. He'd been taught that the warrior code said a warrior must feed the elders and kits first.

Dropping into a crouch, Fire Heart stalked toward the vole. His orange belly fur brushed the damp ground. He crept closer, his eyes never leaving the vole.

Suddenly, the ferns rustled nearby. The vole raised its head, then ran off.

Before Fire Heart could even glare in the cat's direction a ball of black fur hit him and started wrestling him to the ground. "HEY!" He bellowed and struggled to get free from under Jackdaw's Cry.

"Ha! My first catch of the day! Woah! This one's big! The clan will be impressed!" Fire Heart rolled his eyes as Jackdaw's Cry started dragging him by the scruff. "Ha, ha," he deadpanned and struggled away. He sat up and shook his coat out.

"You made me lose a great catch, thanks a lot, sir-stomps-a-lot!" He spat but he wasn't really mad. Jackdaw's Cry looked sorry though.

"Okay, I'll help you catch prey to make up for it."

"No, it's okay."

"No, really."

"Really?"

"Yes! Now C'mon! Time's a-wastin!"

The two apprentices set off side-by-side in search of prey. By the time the sun had set they had a lot.

"Okay, I'll take this load back to camp," Jackdaw's Cry announced.

"Okay," Fire Heart nodded. "I'm gonna hunt one more thing and then I'll meet you here to collect the rest."

"Deal! See ya."

After his friend left, Fire Heart continued on further into the forest, tracking prey, but having the feeling he was being watched.

Suddenly, with lightning speed, a ball of fur slammed into him. Why do cats always attack me all of a sudden?

Fire Heart screamed as the she-cat slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. Two strong paws clamped down on his shoulders.

The apprentice went limp, relaxing his body to seem vulnerable.

The she-cat sat back. "Just a puny apprentice," she growled to herself. "Easy prey for Yellowfang."

Fire Heart forced himself not to react. She needed to think she'd won. Instead he meowed, "ew. Cannibalism much?" The she-cat rolled her eyes.

Fire Heart took the chance and surged up with all the strength he could muster. The she-cat gasped in surprise as she was thrown back.

Fire Heart stood up. "You're trespassing!" Now, he could get a good look at the she-cat, and knew she must be from a Clan. She had a flat muzzle and big eyes with some scars here and there.

"Trespassing," the she-cat echoed. "So? I can hunt where I want, and go where I please."

"You can't do that!" Fire Heart growled, anger bubbling inside of him.

The she-cat smirked. "Don't be so hasty, pest."

He jumped at her.

The two were locked together in a wrestling match. They rolled over and over. Fire Heart fought to get a grip, but the she-cat kept moving away.

Then, she jumped up and swung a blow at his head. He ducked away just in time.

"Hi, Fire Heart!"

The two rolled away from each other, scrambled to their paws and looked at Jackdaw's Cry and the patrol behind him. There was Shattered Ice and Quick Water, including Skystar himself.

Fire Heart glanced at Yellowfang, who glared at them in defiance. "Fire Heart? Have you caught us a prisoner?" Skystar asked, genuinely curious as he observed Yellowfang.

"Well, well, well," Shattered Ice strode forward. "It seems you've fallen on hard times if you can be beaten by an apprentice, Yellowfang!" Fire Heart blinked. It was the first time Shattered Ice had somewhat complimented him.

"What are you doing here, Yellowfang?" Skystar asked, ignoring the others. "You're ShadowClan's medicine cat."

"No shit," Yellowfang spat. "I choose to travel alone now! No questions asked."

"But what about–" Jackdaw's Cry began.

"I SAID NO QUESTIONS ASKED!"

Jackdaw's Cry leapt backwards and crashed into Quick Water. Skystar snorted and meowed, "We'll, let's get her back to camp."

Jagged Peak was lounging outside of the nursery, stretched out side-by-side with Air Leap. At night Cloud Spots would sneak him to the ThunderClan border so he could get milk. He said it was the protein all kits needed in life. Jagged Peak tagged along, promising to be quiet if only to see outside of camp more. Even if he would be an apprentice sooner or later.

"Look!" Someone that sounded like Rainswept Flower yowled. Jagged Peak scrambled to his paws and saw Fire Heart, Skystar, Quick Water, Shattered Ice and Jackdaw's Cry walking into camp with an old she-cat in the middle.

"Who's that?" Air Leap inquired, also having got to his paws.

"I dunno."

"She looks scary."

"You can say that again."

Dapped Pelt appeared and spotted Yellowfang. "Hey, Yellowfang!" She purred, racing across to greet her. Apparently, they knew each other. "How's life?"

"Great," the she-cat muttered as Skystar allowed her to rest on a boulder near the Flat Boulder. Meanwhile, cats brought prey to the returning warriors or anyone who hadn't eaten.

"Thanks!" Air Leap meowed gratefully as Gray Wing dropped a mouse in front of him and Jagged Peak. The gray tabby didn't eat, instead opting to drill his brother with questions.

"Who's that?"

"Yellowfang. The ShadowClan medicine cat…or used to be," the sleek tom replied.

"What's she doing here?"

"Fire Heart found her trespassing. It appears she isn't a part of ShadowClan anymore." Jagged Peak looked past him at Yellowfang, who was offered prey by Rainswept Flower. She begrudgingly but secretly gratefully accepted.

After everyone had eaten, Skystar called them together. "You all know about the prisoner we have captured today."

"He's talking about you!" Moon Shadow pointed out to Yellowfang. She rolled her eyes.

"She will be staying here with us until we get her to spill all her secrets to us," Skystar continued. Most of the cats cheered.

"But. She needs to be cared for," Skystar meowed. "So since Shattered Ice found her he'll take care of her."

"WHAT?!" The gray-and-white tom roared amidst the snickers and giggles. Jagged Peak noticed Fire Heart rolling his eyes.

"I don't need anyone to care for me!" Yellowfang spat. "And anyone who tries will be SPLIT OPEN!"

"Friendly, isn't she?" Jagged Peak heard Moon Shadow mutter to Quick Water.

"Meeting dismissed."

Shattered Ice stayed in the clearing, gaping for quite some time.

Thistlestar raced into camp and jumped onto Highrock. "Gather round!" He yowled. The sun was just going down. The cats gathered in the clearing warily. "I've just received great news!"

Silence.

"WindClan is gone!"

More silence.

Then Tigerclaw started cheering and Darkstripe quickly joined in with Longtail. The other cats just shifted their paws.

"How is that a good thing?" Mousefur called, bolder than others. Thistlestar stared at her incredulously.

"Um, hello! We get more land to hunt! That's what's great about it! We don't want our young to starve…do we?" He ended with a menacing growl that got a few cats, like Ravenpaw to nod quickly out of fear. Spottedleaf on the other paw, was half conflicted and half disapproving.

"Maybe we should chase out SkyClan too!" Dustpaw called suddenly. "They're just a bunch of weirdos after all! No one likes them!"

As Thistlestar gave him an approving nod, watching Brindleface cuff the back of her younger brother's head, he noticed Graypaw and Willowpelt for some reason, looked unhappy about this. Spottedleaf was too, of course, but she was friends with their equally weird medicine cats so it was expected.

"But wh-who drove out WindClan?" Smallear asked, hesitatingly.

"Good question," Thistlestar meowed, brightly. "I think it was quite obviously ShadowClan. After all, those two Clans have hated each other for a long time."

"What if they chase us out next?" Sandpaw asked the next question. Thistlestar snorted and flexed his claws. "Like we'll let them! We need to speed up the training of the apprentices, stat!"

Tigerclaw nodded eagerly. Graypaw, Sandpaw and Dustpaw perked up but Ravenpaw seemed to curl in on himself even more than usual.

"Meeting dismissed."

Gray Wing awoke in the middle of the night to see Cloud Spots padding out of the camp through the den entrance with two small figures? He shook his head and got up to investigate.

As he padded into the clearing, movement on his right slowed him and he turned to see Skystar sitting on the Flat Boulder, looking up at the stars with sad, forlorn eyes. Quickly, Gray Wing snuck around so that he was hidden behind his brother. He could hear him murmuring now.

"Bright Stream…do you see how much he's grown? He's gonna be a big, strong warrior and he's becoming that everyday….if only you and our daughter were here with us…I miss you…"

Gray Wing could hear his mews trembling with sobs. Heartbroken, he wondered if he should comfort him but knew it best to leave him be. He needed to grieve. Just let him grieve…

He quietly snuck back to the warriors' den, completely forgetting about Cloud Spots and the kits.

"WindClan is missing."

Cloud Spots opened his eyes wide. "What, how?" He was sitting by Willowpelt on a rock while Goldenflower nursed Air Leap and Jagged Peak bounced around swatting at fireflies. Every now and then the two ThunderClan she-cats would look back into their forest, warily.

"ShadowClan."

"C'mon! Let's go back home, I'm tired!"

The two cats looked up to see Jagged Peak and Air Leap racing towards them. Goldenflower was getting up.

Willowpelt smiled at him before running after her Clanmate back to their camp, waving their tails in farewell.

"C'mon," Cloud Spots murmured as the kits shivered from the night chill. He quickly led them back to camp.