Russetstripe waited anxiously for the return of her brother and her Clanmates as she and the other warriors hovered around the entrance. Songbreeze's blue eyes were narrowed with worry, Harewhisker was pacing back forth, Sandfall clawed scores in the ground, and Brambledusk was still as stone. Hawkpaw and Redpaw crouched down, fear in their matching green eyes.

I hope they're okay, Russetstripe thought fretfully. It's almost moonhigh, and they're not home yet. Her sentiment was clearly shared by the warriors waiting. Earlier questions had been thrown through the clearing. Now, no cat spoke. An impending sense of doom hung heavily over the clearing. By the gods, come home, and please bring Skyheart with you.

The entrance to the camp rustled, and the first cat who appeared was Cinderfall. Cinderfall's yellow eyes were bright as he slipped into camp, his tail waving happily. He leaped over to Lightningtalon and Buzzardwing, brushing muzzles with his brothers. Brambledusk padded over to them and purred loudly.

Skyheart appeared from behind Cinderfall. Russetstripe let out a sigh of relief. She was safe! Skyheart bounded over to Sandfall and Aspenstep and brushed muzzles with her parents. Relief and joy glittered in their eyes as they licked their daughter roughly. Sedgefall trekked in the clearing behind Skyheart and joined her sister to greet their parents.

Blackdove and Heathercloud followed Sedgefall, giving their apprentices brief nods. But there was still one cat Russetstripe couldn't see. Where's my brother? The entrance moved again, and Russetstripe expected to see her brother's ginger-and-white pelt. But she did not know the two cats who walked in – one was an elderly ginger tabby tom with patched fur and graying furs on his muzzle, and the other was a tall, long-furred, silver tom with black toes. The arrival of the new cats caused an uproar from the Clan cats.

"Who are those two cats?" Songbreeze demanded.

"Why are they here?" Dovewillow's ears flattened.

"They're innocent!" Skyheart exclaimed, turning to glare at Songbreeze and Dovewillow. The two new cats shifted their paws nervously, and after them, Scorchstar appeared in camp. Russetstripe let out a sigh of relief when she saw her brother was unharmed. Redpaw and Hawkpaw launched themselves at their father, purring happily, and Wildheart walked over to her mate, licking his cheek. Scorchstar lifted his gaze and met Russetstripe's eyes. Russetstripe walked over to him.

"I'm glad you're all right," Russetstripe said to her brother.

"Thanks," Scorchstar meowed, letting out a sigh. His shoulders slumped, as if he had been releasing the tension he held in them all day. "We had to ride in a monster's belly. With two kittypets!"

"Kittypets?" Russetstripe echoed. I wonder if Angel was one of them. Hopefully, she kept her mouth shut. "Who are the two cats with you? Are they from the Twolegplace?"

"I'll explain everything now," Scorchstar told Russetstripe as he leaped onto the Tall Rock. There was no need to call out to his Clanmates – they were gathered under the rock, waiting for Scorchstar to speak. Scorchstar cleared his throat. "Clanmates!" he yowled. "As you know, Skyheart was taken by Twolegs this morning."

Skyheart shuddered. "Thank you for coming to rescue me," she said.

Scorchstar nodded. "A patrol consisting of Cinderfall, Heathercloud, Blackdove, Sedgefall, and I traveled to the Twolegplace. I won't get into the details of the rescue… it's quite embarrassing now that I look back on it. But, when we were there, we brought back two cats by the name of Hotaru and Nick."

Hotaru looked down at his black tinged paws, shifting them nervously. Nick lifted his head and met Scorchstar's gaze steadily. Scorchstar went on. "These cats were nearly put to death in the Twolegplace. I want to give them a second chance at life in WindClan."

"What? Why?" Songbreeze's yellow eyes narrowed into slits. "They're not Clanborn. How good of warriors can they be?"

"RiverClan accepted Shellfall," Russetstripe pointed out, "and he learned the warrior code quite quickly."

Scorchstar sniffed at the mention of Shellfall. Russetstripe flinched, remembering how much Scorchstar hated Shellfall. But Runningflame had told her what a good warrior he was – he was a tad crafty and perhaps a little manipulative when he had to be, but he was an honorable cat with a good heart and a kind personality, who served his friends and his leader loyally.

"How do we know these cats will adapt so quickly?" Lightningtalon asked, interrupting Russetstripe from her thoughts about Shellfall. "That they will dedicate their lives to becoming warriors, and never turn back?"

"Nick is old," Buzzardwing added, looking at the pale ginger tabby. "He can't be a warrior."

"No, but he can be an elder," Scorchstar replied. "He has many years of experience and can be a source of wisdom for us all."

"But someone so innocent…" Heathercloud stared at Hotaru. "How can he live the life of a warrior?"

"Innocence is very impressionable," Wildheart said. "The firefly will absorb new information like a ball of moss in water."

"I think we should keep an eye on them for one moon and have them participate in Clan activities and politics," Brambledusk suggested, tilting his brown head to the side as he visibly contemplated the news. "If we are pleased with what we see, then we ask them to join the Clan."

Scorchstar looked pleased as he nodded in agreement. "A moon gives us enough time to judge whether we can trust them or not."

Several cats muttered their agreement. But some cats, like Songbreeze, Buzzardwing, and Lightningtalon, stayed icily quiet. No one could expect the entire Clan to agree on a single matter, after all. Russetstripe frowned. How did she feel about accepting two unknown cats into the Clan? Hotaru looked as if he wouldn't harm a fly, and Nick seemed too old to hurt one. I guess we'll have to see what they're really like before we can judge them honestly.

"Then it's decided. An elder and a warrior. WindClan will grow in strength." Scorchstar gazed at his youngest cats. "Can you show them around, please?"

Redpaw nodded. Hawkpaw jumped up and down excitedly. Frostpetal and Iceheart exchanged nervous glances. Iceheart walked over to Hotaru and gave him a small nod, while Hawkpaw and Redpaw dragged Nick into the elders' den, where Larchcloud was watching. Russetstripe watched them go and let out a small sigh as Scorchstar jumped from the Tall Rock.

"You're sure this is a good idea?" Russetstripe asked.

"It has to be," Scorchstar muttered. "You should've seen Skyheart when she begged me to bring them back. I couldn't turn them around, now could I? They were supposed to die there."

Russetstripe shuddered. Runningflame had told her the Twolegs in that Twolegplace left her alone – and she had experienced it firsthand when she had been walking with him and the Twolegs studied them intently but never touched them. Why had Skyheart been taken away? "How did you even get to save Skyheart, anyway?"

"There was some kittypet named Angel who took us in her Twoleg's monster," Scorchstar replied.

Angel! Russetstripe flinched. Scorchstar narrowed his eyes. "Something I should know about?"

"No." Russetstripe turned her back on Scorchstar. "Nothing at all." And, with that, she walked away from her brother, curious to see what Hotaru was all about. Nick seemed like any old elderly cat, but it was the innocent charm – mixed with the slightest flicker of danger – in Hotaru's eyes that drew her towards him. She saw him sitting with Iceheart and Redpaw. Iceheart seemed engrossed in what he was saying, while Redpaw tilted his head curiously.

"Are you pleased?" Iceheart asked him.

"With what?" Hotaru inquired.

"Staying here," Redpaw replied. "You have to follow the warrior code, though."

"The warrior code…?" Hotaru echoed.

Russetstripe shook out her thick fur and walked over to Hotaru. I'm totally not one to talk, though, she thought to herself guiltily, feeling the fur on her spine prick nervously. "The warrior code is a set of rules all warriors must follow if they want to honor the ways of Clan life."

Hotaru gazed at Russetstripe with deep yellow eyes. "I've never heard of that before. Come here."

Wha…? The intensity, the vigor and potency, drew Russetstripe towards him – her paws moved, affected by him, and even though she tried to force herself back, something pulled Russetstripe to him. Huh…

"How did you…" Russetstripe stared at Hotaru, frozen in her tracks, under the new warrior's spell.

"Oh." Hotaru glanced guiltily at his paws. "Did I do that again? I'm sorry."

"What…" Finally, Russetstripe was able to step back, freeing herself from Hotaru's grasp. She shook out her fur, staring at Hotaru in shock. "How did you…?"

"I don't know." Hotaru shifted his paws nervously. "I've never known."

"Huh?" Redpaw's eyes widened. "You can bring cats to you, just by saying the words? Is it like magic?"

"It's not magic." Hotaru shook his head. "It's just… me. That's why…"

"…That's why you were in that shelter?" Iceheart asked softly.

"Yes." Hotaru looked away and blinked guiltily. "I ran away."

"Why did you run away?" Russetstripe asked. Hotaru was a curious soul, she thought, and he seemed to have a past full of more things than Russetstripe could imagine. Did that make Hotaru dangerous to the Clan?

"I have cats out there who use me for it. The Soul of Language," Hotaru explained. "They make me use it… to kill… to hurt… and I ran away and ended up in the shelter."

"Are you…" Russetstripe trailed off. "Dangerous…?"

"Yes." Hotaru nodded.

Russetstripe hitched a deep breath. Redpaw stepped back, but Iceheart took a step closer to Hotaru. Kindness glimmered in her blue eyes. "I don't think you're dangerous," she said. "You escaped such a horrible home to find a new life. That's one of the bravest things a cat can do. And I'll be your first friend in WindClan."

"I'll be your second!" Redpaw exclaimed. "Can I call you 'firefly'? That's what your name means, right?"

Hotaru nodded. "Thank you," he said to both of the cats. He met Iceheart's gaze steadily, and Russetstripe could feel the sparks fly between the both of them. She gave them a nod and walked away. The news that Hotaru could control cats with only his words sent a shudder down Russetstripe's spine. Wouldn't he be a dangerous cat to have in the Clan? But… if Iceheart is able to tame him… maybe it won't be so bad.

The next morning, patrols were issued by Harewhisker. Blackdove padded over to Russetstripe after Harewhisker ordered her and Hawkpaw on a hunting patrol. "Do you want to come with me and Hawkpaw?" she asked. Russetstripe eyed her friend darkly – did she really want to come, or did she want to keep her away from Runningflame?

"Sure," Russetstripe said. "Any cat else?"

"Hmm." Blackdove looked around the clearing, focusing her sharp green gaze on a warrior who sat near the fresh-kill pile, not having participated in any of the conversations from earlier. "Lilystream!"

The soft gray she-cat looked up. "Yes?"

"Up for a patrol?" Blackdove asked, flicking her black tail back-and-forth.

"Sure." Lilystream walked over to the three she-cats, and Blackdove looked over her shoulder, nodding to Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw bounded over towards them, her ginger-and-white tail waving in excitement.

"Heathercloud got her paw injured from the rescue," Hawkpaw explained, "so she can't take Redpaw out. Can he come with us?"

"Yeah, sure," Blackdove meowed. Hawkpaw turned around and mewed at Redpaw, who bounded over to the patrol, ready to leave. Blackdove flicked her tail towards the group of cats and left the camp. Russetstripe climbed the walls of the hollow and plunged into the grassland, ready to stretch her paws after a night full of waiting. As the sun rose in the morning sky, she knew she should feel exhausted – after all, the entire Clan waited the entire night for the rescue patrol to come back, but she wasn't sleepy. The events of the night brought her energy.

Russetstripe and the other cats raced through the moorland until they could catch a scent of rabbit. They watched the sun rise, casting its gentle rays over the tips of the grass in the moorland. Hawkpaw skidded to a halt, sniffing the air. "I smell rabbit!" she yowled, causing the rest of the patrol to stop.

"Want to try to get it, then?" Lilystream asked.

"Yes!" Hawkpaw gestured over to Redpaw, and the two apprentices stalked behind the rabbit, which was a few fox lengths' away in the grassland. Blackdove and Russetstripe watched them, and Russetstripe realized how big Hawkpaw and Redpaw were. Over the past moons, they had grown well – they were bigger than their mother, Wildheart. Hawkpaw was tall and wiry, much skinnier and lithe compared to her brother, Redpaw, who was nearly as big as his father, and had taut muscles under his thick red fur. So much different from the tiny kits I saw that day.

The two apprentices crouched down, ready to take off. Just as they both shot off like rabbits, Redpaw let out a piercing cry and fell to the ground. Hawkpaw turned on her heel and stared at Redpaw. Russetstripe jumped to her paws, and just as she bounded over to Redpaw, she saw a thick snake, latching its jaws onto Redpaw's shoulder and starting to coil around him.

"Redpaw!" Russetstripe and Hawkpaw cried at the same time. Redpaw tried to speak, tried to move, but the snake had a tight grip on him and was just coiling further and further. Hawkpaw lunged over to her brother with the speed of a monster and sank her teeth into the snake's scales. The snake let go immediately and turned on Hawkpaw, ready to strike at her with its massive fangs, but Redpaw grabbed the snake's neck just in time and pulled it back. Hawkpaw dodged the blow and slashed her claws down its side.

Just as the snake turned again, Hawkpaw opened her mouth and lunged towards the snake, landing a deadly blow just beyond the snake's snout. She clamped it tight in her jaws, and although the snake was desperately trying to wrap itself around Hawkpaw, to suffocate her just as it had been trying to suffocate Redpaw, Hawkpaw shook the snake roughly in her jaws. Redpaw dove in at the last moment and sank his claws in the back of the snake's neck.

Hawkpaw threw the heavy snake to the ground when it no longer moved in her grip. Redpaw stared at the snake, his green eyes blazing. He turned to look at Hawkpaw. "You did it!" he gasped.

"No." Hawkpaw shook her head. "We both did it."

"You saved my life!" Redpaw exclaimed.

Russetstripe gazed admiringly at Hawkpaw as she walked over to her. "Redpaw's right. You saved his life. You fought off a massive snake on your own!"

"Can we eat it?" Redpaw asked, looking at the snake. For a cat who had nearly been suffocated and eaten, he had gotten over the shock rather quickly, but the gratefulness to his sister never left his green eyes. "It's huge!"

Lilystream and Blackdove raced over to the three cats, their eyes wide at the commotion.

"What happened here?" Blackdove demanded, lashing her tail with a mixture of fear and anger as she looked her apprentice up and down.

"Are you all okay?" Lilystream's eyes were shadowed with worry as she swung her head to stare at Redpaw and Hawkpaw.

"I wouldn't be if it hadn't been for Hawkpaw," Redpaw exclaimed, staring at the snake. "I'd have been snake food."

"And, so would I, if you hadn't helped me kill the snake," Hawkpaw said to Redpaw, nudging him in his chest.

Russetstripe and Blackdove exchanged pleased glances.

"So, you two really do work well together," Blackdove remarked softly.

"Yeah," Redpaw agreed. "We're a team. Right, Hawkpaw?"

"Always." Hawkpaw headbutted her brother affectionately.

"Dumb snake," Redpaw growled as he picked up the snake by its head and draped it across his shoulders. "I'm going to eat it when we get back home."

"You're right, Redpaw, we should go home," Blackdove remarked. "We've had enough excitement for one day."

Blackdove led the WindClan cats back to camp. Their hearts were beating with anticipation and the remnants of fear as the grisly reality of Redpaw's doom sank in. If Hawkpaw hadn't attacked the snake when she did, Redpaw could have very well been killed by the snake. It was huge, too, Russetstripe thought. I've never seen a snake as big as it. It could've definitely eaten Redpaw – or even a bigger cat.

When they entered camp, Redpaw and Hawkpaw immediately streaked over to Scorchstar, who was sitting at the foot of the Tall Rock with Wildheart at his side. Redpaw still had the snake over his shoulders, and the two apprentices were bursting with the adrenaline of fighting off the predator, whose only goal had been to kill them both.

"Mom, Dad!" Redpaw exclaimed. "Guess what just happened to me?"

"What is it, dear?" Wildheart asked, stepping back when she realized that Redpaw's fur was bristling and his green eyes were wide. "What happened? Wait, what is that on you?" She craned her head to look at the snake on his shoulders.

"A snake almost got me!" Redpaw cried out.

"What?" Scorchstar's claws unsheathed, and he stared at the massive snake that hung around Redpaw's neck. "That snake?" A low snarl escaped his lips.

"Yeah!" Redpaw confirmed. "Hawkpaw saved me, though. We killed the snake together!"

"Is this true?" Scorchstar turned to stare at Hawkpaw, who was right next to Redpaw.

"Of course it is!" Hawkpaw cried. "The snake was around Redpaw, and I pulled it off by biting at me. When it bit at me, Redpaw got to the snake just in time, and we killed it."

"I'm going to eat it for trying to eat me," Redpaw added.

"So, you saved each other's lives?" Scorchstar asked, a glimmer of respect in his eyes.

"More like I saved Redpaw's life," Hawkpaw grunted. "But, yeah. Really, we did."

Scorchstar's yellow eyes glimmered. He looked up to meet Russetstripe's dark green gaze. "You saw all of this?"

Russetstripe nodded.

"This is true act of a warrior," Scorchstar said quietly. He leaped on to the Tall Rock without saying anything else to his kits. Wildheart watched him jump, admiration brimming in her yellow eyes. "Let all Clan cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Tall Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Redpaw dropped the snake on the fresh-kill pile and raced over to the Tall Rock with Hawkpaw. Lilystream and Blackdove, who had seen the entire event unfold, exchanged knowing glances. There was pride in Blackdove's eyes, albeit a hint of sadness. Russetstripe knew that she hadn't been pleased training Hawkpaw, her unrequited love's daughter. Although Blackdove would never have harmed Hawkpaw, seeing the ginger-and-white tabby every day and being in such close proximity with her just made the pain all the more real. Mallowpaw exited the medicine den and sat down in front of it, wrapping her striped tail around her paws. Wildheart beamed visibly as she sat at the root of the Tall Rock, and Harewhisker sat on the other side. Brambledusk watched them with narrowed yellow eyes.

"Every cat!" Scorchstar yowled. "Today, my kits did something extraordinary. Hawkpaw saved Redpaw just as a snake was constricting him, and when the snake lunged to attack Hawkpaw, Redpaw saved her in that moment. They worked together to kill the snake. They showed me the true way of family – the sacrifices you make for one another. Redpaw, Hawkpaw, please step here."

Redpaw and Hawkpaw exchanged jubilant glances and stepped towards the Tall Rock. Scorchstar looked down at them, his yellow eyes glittering. Then his gaze traveled to Blackdove. "Blackdove, is Hawkpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes, and more." Blackdove nodded firmly. "She showed incredible courage and bravery today when she saved Redpaw."

"Heathercloud, is Redpaw ready to become a warrior?" Scorchstar asked the gray she-cat as she limped out of the medicine den.

"Of course he is," Heathercloud replied. "I wasn't there when he saved Hawkpaw from the snake, but from what he's shown me in the training clearing, he's been ready for a while."

Scorchstar puffed his chest out. "I, Scorchstar, leader of WindClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on these young apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Redpaw, Hawkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Redpaw's words were stiff with his unwavering resolve.

"I do! I do!" Hawkpaw exclaimed, her tail lashing in excitement but her green eyes glittering with determination.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Redpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Redmoon. StarClan honors your strength and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." Scorchstar leaped from the Tall Rock and rested his muzzle on Redmoon's head. He turned to Hawkpaw, who was quivering with excitement.

"My turn?" Hawkpaw gasped.

"Yes, I see you fidgeting." Scorchstar purred. "Hawkpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Hawkfire. StarClan honors your courage and fiery spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." He rested his muzzle on Hawkfire's head, and Hawkfire licked his shoulder in response. Russetstripe caught his whispered words. "I'm so proud of you."

Hawkfire's green eyes glittered with all the unsaid words.

"Hawkfire! Redmoon! Hawkfire! Redmoon!" cheered the WindClan cats, the names warm and fervent as they rang through the cats. Blackdove and Heathercloud cheered their apprentices' names to the sky, and Frostpetal and Iceheart yowled their names, clearly glad to have their old denmates join them once more. Mallowpaw's amber eyes glowed as she joined Sedgefall in cheering. Wildheart was purring too loudly to cheer, and Scorchstar yowled his kits' names the loudest. Russetstripe joined in, realizing she had been silent the entire time. I have to let them know how proud I am of them.

"You need to keep a silent vigil for tonight," Scorchstar told his kits, "but I won't scold you for talking to your friends or family before you start."

"Thank you, Father." Hawkfire let out a sigh. "For everything."

"Whatever you think, Hawkfire…" Scorchstar touched his nose to his daughter's. "I love you. Always."

"Hey, what about me?" Redmoon complained. "Am I not loved?"

"Of course you're loved, you stupid furball." Scorchstar purred loudly as he covered his son's head in licks. Wildheart nuzzled Hawkfire before walking over to Redmoon and touching noses with him. Hawkfire and Redmoon glanced over at Russetstripe and bounded over to her.

"I swear by all the gods, when I saw you two fighting the snake, I was about to let it get to you, since it was so stupid," Russetstripe remarked dryly. When their expressions fell, she went on. "But now I think differently. What you did… I've never seen another cat do that for their sibling. Ever. You put yourself at death's doorstep for each other, and that isn't only what a warrior would do, it's what family would do."

"Thanks, Russetstripe!" Hawkfire gasped as Russetstripe brushed her cheek against the ginger-and-white tabby and touched her nose to Redmoon's shoulder.

"Glad you got to see the show," Redmoon chuckled. "You know I wouldn't let Hawkpa – Hawkfire get hurt. She's my sister."

"And to think those quarrels you had before," Russetstripe reminisced.

"It's over," Hawkfire declared. "He's my brother. I'll always have his back."

"And you're my little sister. You need protecting." Redmoon tousled Hawkfire's head with his big paw.

"Hey!" Hawkfire flattened her ears. "I was the one who protected you!"

"Yes, but—"

Russetstripe let out a sigh but realized that Redmoon was doing it in good humor. She flicked Redmoon on his head with her tail and pushed him towards Iceheart and Frostpetal, who were waiting to congratulate their friends. Hawkfire followed Redmoon as they approached the two sisters.

I remember my warrior ceremony, Russetstripe thought. We were warriors because we defeated Clan cats in their very own home. Not because we protected each other. Russetstripe could sense her brother's presence as she meowed, "You have good kits."

"I know." Scorchstar purred loudly. His yellow gaze bore into her pelt. "Have you thought about it? Having kits?"

Russetstripe flinched. She wasn't going to lie – she was open to the idea. But not with any cat. There was only one cat who could ever be the father of her own kits. How will the future work for us? she thought miserably. "I don't know."

"Maybe there's a cat out for you," Scorchstar meowed. "Like Brambledusk. He's a good cat, isn't he?"

Russetstripe whirled on Scorchstar as a conversation from so long ago raced through her mind.

"Just because you hate Wildheart, doesn't mean you get to play matchmaker, Russetstripe. After all, I heard you were quite angry when Swiftstar had the same conversation with you like he had with me."

"I decide who I love, not you, and not my father," Russetstripe hissed at her brother through clenched teeth, remembering Swiftstar's insistence on Russetstripe being mates with Brambledusk. Brambledusk was a good cat – and maybe, in another life – but there was no other cat for her than Runningflame. Scorchstar stepped back, hurt in his eyes. Then he gave her a nod and walked away. Russetstripe watched him go, and immediately felt bad for yelling at him, just as she would yell at Swiftstar. She shut her eyes, kicking herself internally. But Scorchstar had his fair share of turning on her in earlier moons, as well.

Why does it feel like we're drifting apart?