RiverClan Forever

Written by: Spottedstar42 \ Ivystorm

RiverClan Forever Main cats(from left to right): Redstar, Ivystorm. Background: Golden tom; Yellowstar, brown tom; Beetlefoot, gray tom; Rainstorm

Prolouge

Kits were to be born soon. Many kits. Moonshine, Flowerglow, Spotfur, Softfoot, and Orangefoot were all pregnat. They all sat in the cluttered nursery, which had been expanded, but was still too small. "My kits and I will have to sleep outside when they come." Flowerglow kept joking.

"I'm not WindClan. I would sleep at the bottom of the river before I sleep outside all night." Moonshine mewed, licking her paw and running it behing her ear.

"I need exercize." Flowerglow streched her sore legs. "Coming?" she asked her friend, Orangefoot.

"I'll get Eagermind or Tallpaw, and ask them to come with us so we can gather herbs." Orangefoot meowed, padding into the medicine cat den. Inside was a strong scent of herbs and a small tabby brown cat with unusually tall ears sorting out juniper berries.

"Hi, Tallpaw. Where's Eagermind?" Orangefoot asked the tabby cat.

"In the back, treating that mouse-brain who wants his foot broken!" Tallpaw grunted angrily. Orangefoot knew he meant Thornpaw, who kept climbing trees and falling out of them.

"Well, Flowerglow and I were thinking about gathering herbs. Want to come with us?" Orangefoot asked, watching her ginger paws scuffle shyly. Even though her mate, Whitecloud, was her true love, she still felt shy around Tallpaw. She used to love him, but she stopped when he became a medicine cat.

"Thank you, please." Tallpaw jumped up and called over his shoulder, "Eagermind! I'm off to collect herbs!"

Flowerglow, Tallpaw, and Orangefoot padded through the forest beside the trickling stream that lead off the river. They were an odd bunch, all mostly brown but pelts completely different. Flowerglow, mostly brown, had a tortishell pelt, Tallpaw had a brown tabby pelt, and Orangefoot had a brown pelt with ginger paws.

Orangefoot stopped suddenly. She had felt great pain. She plopped down in the soft grass, breathing hard.

"The kits are coming!" Tallpaw exclaimed. "Flowerglow! Go back to camp and tell Eagermind! We can't move her, so be quick!"

It seemed moons, but the first kit came. It was reddish-brown with tabby streaks. Tallpaw licked its fur the wrong way, warming it while soothing Orangefoot. Another one came, this one cream-colored with silver tabby spots.

Eagermind came hurring with herbs in his mouth and Flowerglow and Moonshine behind him. Flowerglow pulled ahead and took over licking the second kit while Moonshine took the first.

Then a third came. It was small, a perfect copy of its mother. Tallpaw knew something was wrong right away. He licked it once. It wasn't breathing. It was dead.

Orangefoot's eyes fell upon it, and she let out a wail or grief.

"Larchstar won't be happy about this. He wants living kits for the Clan." Eagermind meowed sadly.

"Let's sit vigil for him right now." Orangefoot meowed. "We can bury him right now, and not tell anyone about him."

"You should name him and his siters first." Flowerglow meowed, taking the kits from Moonshine and laying them next to Orangefoot for feeding.

"I will name this one Redkit. In honor of her red fur." Orangefoot paused, then said, "I just can't think of a perfect name for this one, though."

"I think you should name him, too." Moonshine meowed gently, poking the dead kit.

"His name will be Secretkit. In honor of his way of death." Orangefoot meowed.

"Lets make her a makeshift den, she might need to stay here overnight." Eagermind meowed, and dug in the herbs he had brought for borage and poppy seed.

Suddenly, the wind stirred up the ivy leaves around them, engulfing them in an ivy-storm. "That is what I will name her!" Orangefoot exclaimed. "It is a sign from StarClan! They sent the wind to stir up the ivy to tell me that I must name this kit Ivykit!"

Chapter 1: A Hopeless KIt

Gobblekit and Redkit played by the fresh-kill pile while Ivykit slept in a warm patch of sunlight. Ivykit and Redkit were four moons old now, and were the oldest kits in the nursery. Ivykit twitched her nose and awoke when dawn patrol returned.

"Hey, Redkit! Ivykit!" Poolpaw called, her blue-gray pelt shining bright in the sun. "Just like I promised, I'm going to show you some battle moves!"

Redkit jumped up and eagerly padded towards Poolpaw, but Ivykit took it more slowly. She couldn't do any of these moves.

"Okay, I will show you this neat trick I learned today. First, you slide under a cat's belly, then scrape the underbelly. Then the cat will turn around, expecting you to come out the other side, but you will turn around really fast and come back the way you came."

Redkit tried it, failed, tried it, failed, tried it, then finally got it right. Ivykit tried it, stumbled and never even made it under the belly. Then she tried it again, but couldn't get out in enough time. Then she finally gave up and jumped on top of Poolpaw, who rolled over on her and clawed her off.

"I'll never be a warrior!" Ivykit wailed. "I can't do any of these moves!" She ran away from her red-brown tabby sister and Poolpaw. She ducked into the medicine den to visit Tallear.

"Hello, Ivykit." Tallear meowed as she came in. She settled next to Tallear and started sniffing the different herbs and helping him sort them.

"Oh, Tallear. I'll never be a warrior! I can't jump, I can't fight, I can't hunt! I am useless!" Ivykit wailed.

"You are not!" Tallear snapped. Ivykit was surprised at his tone. "All cats are valuble to the Clan in any way possible. Even if you are stuck gathering herbs instead of fighting or gathering moss instead of hunting, you are still useful to the Clan!"

"That's just it!" Ivykit meowed. "I don't want to just be some cat that nobody notices. i want to strong with battle scar, saving my Clan from certain death!"

"I am afraid your paws can only follow one path. It is your chocie if you want to follow that path completely or veer off to the left, into the grass where ou can get lost.:"

Tallear's words were lost with Ivykit. What use am I if I can't fight?

Chapter 2: A Path Filled with Herbs?

Redkit watched her sister padding misreably away into the medicine cat den. She wondered why her sister was sad for a moment, then the thought was driven out of her mind when Poolpaw swatted her across the ear. Redkit jumped onto her back, dug her claws in, and held on tightly.

"OW!" Poolpaw yowled.

"Sorry, Poolpaw. I didn't mean to hurt you." Redkit appoligized.

"Come on, Redkit. It's time you and Poolpaw ended your game." Orangefoot called from the nursery. Milkkit and Rockkit are restless. Play with them."

Two kits dashed out of the nutsery. One had a creamy-white pelt and the other had a ginger pelt with small gray spots. "Lets play a game." Redkit meowed to them. "LEts get the other kits and we can all play."

"What will we play?" Rockkit bounced up and down on her tiny feet.

"WE will pretend we are a Clan. We will be DoveClan, and I will be leader, Redstar!" Redkit meowed.

"Why do you get to be leader?" Milkkit protested.

"Because I'm the oldest." Redkit meowed. "Now go fetch the other kits and I'll make you the deputy, Milkdrip." Redkit padded away as the kits dashed into the nursery. She padded into the medicine den and heard Ivykit and Tallear talking.

" ...or veer of to the left, into the grass, and get lost." Tallear was saying. Ivykit hung her head and padded out into the clearing, passing Redkit and not even noticing.

"Ivykit! Were playing a game!" Redkit meowed to her sister, catching up to her.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Come on. Were playing DoveClan again. I'm Redstar, and Milkkit is the deputy, Milkdrip. They're getting the other kits so we'll have a whole Clan. You can be medicine cat, Ivyleaf."

"Fine." Ivykit meowed, padding over to where the kits had gathered and were now making a makeshift camp between the wall of the nursery and the river.

"Okay, places!" Redkit meowed. "Milkdrip, please stand next me. The senior warrriors are Gobblemouth, Frenzybird, and Sharptalon." The three kits stepped forward, Gobblekit was a brown tom tabby, Frenzykit was a small tortiseshell tom, and Sharpkit was a black she-kit with many small white dots.

"The medicne cat is Ivyleaf, and her apprentice is Darkmoon." Redkit went on. Ivykit and Darkkit stepped forward, Darkkit was a dark tabby she-kit. "The newest warriors are Moonpebble, Whiteberry, Floodpool, and Rockfall. The apprentices are only Frozenpaw and Jaypaw. Frozenpaw's mentor is Floodpool and Jaypaw's mentor is Frenzybird."

"You should stand on that rock over there." floodkit meowed, pointing with his nose. Redkit stood on the small rock in the center and Milkkit followed.

"Can I join?" Poolpaw padded over.

"Sure. You can be a senoir warrior." Redkit meowed. "Your name will be Poolsplash."

"I will have to tell Larchstar that name so he can name me that officaly." Poolpaw meowed, joining the other senoir warriors. "You come up with good names. You are, like, born to be a leader or something."

Ivykit padded in circles. Tallear was treating to Eagermind. He had fallen ill with greencough, even though the season of newleaf was lightening the sky.

Tallear padded out of he medicine cat den. "I'm sorry, but It has turned to Blackcough. With no Catmint on any territory, it is almost certain that Eagermind wil be joing StarClan soon."

Ivykit was dreaming. It was the middle of Greenleaf. All was bright and she was in a clearing she didn't reognize. There was four oak trees and a huge rock, bigger than any rock she had ever seen, in the center.

"Hello, Ivykit." an orange tom stepped into the clearing. he had stars in his pelt.

"Are you a StarClan warrior?" Ivykit asked.

"Yes, I am. My name is Thunder. I began ThunderClan. Cloudspots is an early medicine cat, and he has come to tell you a great prophecy."

a white and black cat stepped from the shadows of the trees. "I am Cloudspots." It said.

"Nice to meet you." Ivykit bowed her head the way Orangefoot had taught her.

"I am here to tell you to go for herbs. Your path is filled with herbs and StarClan, not blood and battle." Cloudspots and Thunder fadded and Ivykit awoke curled up next to Redkit and Orangefoot.

Should I be a Medicine Cat? Ivykit wondered, trying to get back to sleep in the crowded nursery. She finally ngave up and left, taking care not to step on any kits on her way out. She settled by the small stream that passed behind the nursery. Tallear is ready for an apprentice, now Eagermind is dying. Maybe I should ask Larchstar after Eagermind has left for StarClan...

Chapter 3: Medicine and Warrior

Ivykit and Redkit padded side by side around the clearing. A moon had passed, and they were to become apprentices now. Eagermind had been dead for many sunrises, and Poolpaw had been made into a warrior, Poolspalsh. Gobblekit and Moonkit, Flowerglow's kits, were born only one sunrise apart from Redkit and Ivykit, so they were becoming apprentices as well.

Redkit had no idea what Ivykit was up to, but she had visited Larchstar about 7 sunrises after Eagermind's death. The red tabby stopped pacing when she saw Larchstar limp out of his cave. He had twisted his leg when chasing a squirrel up a tree and falling.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather here beneath Fallrock!" Larchstar called, his brown fur sparkling in the moonlight.

"This is it." Ivykit meowed excitedly. The Four kits stood under Fallrock with Orangefoot and Flowerglow patting down heir fur in places.

"Ivykit, Redkit, Gobblekit, and Moonkit are ready to be apprentices. From this moment on, until you earn your warrior names, you will be known as Ivypaw, Redpaw, Gobblepaw, and Moonpaw. Tallear, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Eagermind was your mentor, he taught you to be kind and heal. I hope you pass these things onto Ivypaw."

Ivypaw and Tallear touched noses.

"Poolwater, you have not been a warrior for very long, but you are ready for an apprentice. Redpaw will be your apprentice.

"Orangefoot, now your kits are apprenticed, you are ready for another apprentice. Gobblepaw will be your apprentice.

"Birdflight, you are also ready for an apprentice. your apprentice will be Moonpaw."

Poolwater, Redpaw, Orangefoot, Gobblepaw, Birdflight, and Moonpaw all touched noses.

"You're lucky." Redpaw meowed to her sister later thatday in the apprentices den.

"How?" Ivypaw asked, replacing the bedding with new moss and bracken.

"You are more important to the Clan than warriors. A warriorm needs a medicine cat or the Clan would die."

"But Medicine cats need Warriors to protect and hunt for them."

"Medicine is still more important. Medicine has to interpret signs from StarClan."

"And warriors carry out the prophecys most of the time."

"Fine. Medicine and Warrior is equal."

"Equal." Ivypaw repeated. They touched noses and Ivypaw left for her own nest in Tellear's den.

Chapter 4: The Log and the Leaf

Ivypaw and Redpaw now have had two moons of training. Ivypaw knew all the herbs and has traveled to the Moonstone four times. Redpaw knows how to catch prey and is very skilled in battle.

"Ivy! Ivy! Ivy, Ivy, Ivy!" Milkpaw squealed. "Ivy's coming!" Ivypaw wondered what he was yowling about when a group of apprentices including Redpaw, Moonpaw, Frenzypaw, and Floodpaw carried a clump of mud out. A closer look told Ivypaw that the apprentices had shaped a clump of moss into a leaf and covered it in mud.

"We made you an herb." Floodpaw meowed. "We made it out of moss, and then we covered it in mud then waited for it to harden. It holds it's shape now! you can put it in a place I found for you!"

Ivypaw followed Floodpaw and Milkpaw to the medicine den, then to a rock that sat on the edge of the barrier. "Where did you find that rock?" Ivypaw asked.

"We found it when we were out hunting." Milkpaw meowed. Inside it was hollow, big enought for Ivypaw to get in and walk around. "It's a new den for you." Milkpaw meowed.

Floodpaw set the mud herb down at the edge and pushe through a crack in the rock. Ivypaw followed him. The apprentice had made a hole in the barrier of the medicine den and now was shaking bracken out of his fur.

"Now you can get to your den from the medicine den." Floodpaw meowed.

"Surprise." Tallear meowed, slipping out of the shadows. you deserve a better den, so I had the apprentices figure something out."

"Oh, thank you, Tallear!" she dashed to her mentor and licked his shoulder affectionatly.

New kirs were to be born. Ivypaw and Tallear sat beside Softfoot, who was having her second litter at that moment. Redpaw watched this from the entrance, until Tallear shooed her away. She stood outside for a moment, then went to hunt with Poolwater, Gobblepaw, and Flowerglow. It had been about a moon since Ivypa got her own den, and Redpaw was begging to feel jealous. The apprentice den was packed with apprentices.

After the hunt, where Redpaw brought back three mice and one squirrel, she went to check on Ivypaw.

"Ivypaw?" Redpaw called to her sister from the tunnel to the medicine den.

"I'm just taking some borage to Softfoot and her kit." Ivypaw meowed. Redpaw felt a little surprised at the word 'kit' instead of 'kits.'

"One kit?" Redpaw asked curiously.

"Yes, one. Barenkit. This is almost a good thing. Now there are only two kits in the nursery instead of five milloin like there were when we were kits."

The other kit was Moonshine's kit, Leafkit. "Poolwater had some exciting news to tell LArchstar about. I wonder what it was." Redpaw changed the subject.

Ivypaw lifted her head up suddenly. "Do you smell it?"

"Yes." Redpaw lifted her head. Fox. Three foxes.

Ivypaw and Redpaw raced out into the clearing. "Fox!!!" REdpaw yowled. Ivypaw felt excitement well up in her. She ran to help Softfoot and Moonshine to gather their kits and get out of camp. Ivypaw dashed in to see Moonshine carring Leafkit and attempting to wake Softfoot up.

"Softfoot, you have to leave. A fox is coming. I can't carry you, Leafkit, and Barenkit all at once!" Moonshine meowed.

"I can't. I'm still too weak." Softfoot growned and attempted to shove Barenkit out the nursery wall. "Go save yourself, little kit."

"I"ll carry Barenkit." Ivypaw meowed, grabbing the brown tom and racing out the door.

Cats were pouring out of the clearing. Redpaw saw her sister carring the new kit and Moonshine carring Leafkit escape with Poolwater just as a fox broke through the camp barrier. Redpaw seemed to be the last cat in camp, so the fox went straight for her. She didn't back down. She stood her ground until the fox was right up close to her.

"Die, fox!" Redpaw leaped on the fox's back and clawed at its spine. It wailed in fury and tried to claw Redaw, but she was out of reach. Redpaw kept digging her claws in until she had a good enough hold to bite its spine.

"Redpaw! What are you doing?" LArchstar and Orangefoot had emerged from the leader's den. Redpaw ignored them. The fox decieded to ignore the pain on its back and go for ORangefoot.

"Redpaw, we can handle it, go now!" Larchstar called. Redpaw couldn't hear him over the blood pounding her ears. She had to stop the fox. She bit down as hard as she could on the fox's spine. The fox howled with pain, the Redpaw felt the bone break under her jaws.

The fox fell a tail length from Orangefoot. The fox was not dead, and it was still attempting to nip Orangefoot's heels. "Redpaw! For the last time, get out of there!" Larchstar hissed. Just as Redpaw was about to leave, a branch fell from the nearest tree. It was big, like a log, and it looked faintly like a tabby cat. It landed square on the fox's head, killing it instatnly.

"Thank StarClan!" Orangefoot exclaimed.

Ivypaw placed Barenkit next to Softfoot, who was sitting in the nursery waiting for their return. After listening to a very long-winded thank you from Softfoot, she stepped into the clearing. She suddenly stopped. the log that had fallen on the fox was red in the sunset. Next to it was a leaf, a very big leaf, an Ivy leaf that shone silver in the moonlight.

"It's a sign from StarClan!" she exclaimed. All the cats in the clearing looked at her. "Red and Ivy will save RiverClan!

Chapter 5: Names

"Do you wish to uphold the Warrior Code, even with your life?" Larchstar asked Redpaw.

"I do." Redpaw moewed

"Then from this moment on, you will be known as Redfur. StarClan honors your Determination and Bravery."

Ivypaw watched her sister with pride as cries of "Redfur! Moonpebble! Gobbletooth!" echoed around the camp. She couldn't help wondering when she would get her medicine cat name. She wondered what it might be.

Will it be Ivyleaf? Ivyfeather? Ivysprout? she thought. She watched Tallear pad across the camp to whisper something in Orangefoot's ear. Orangefoot muttered something back, looking excited. I wonder what that's about?

Ivypaw, Tallear, Brokenrock, Goldenherb, and Leaffern were all gathered by the Moonstone. Just before they could all settle down to share tounges with StarClan, Tallear held them back with his tail. "Before we share dreams with StarClan, I belive it is about time Ivypaw got her Medicine cat name."

Ivypaw wiggled with excitement. "Do you swear before StarClan to stand apart from Clan rivalries and heal all the injuired?"

"I do."

"Then, before all of StarClan, I give you the name Ivystorm. StarClan honors your heart and skills."

"We both have our names!" Redfur meowed happily to her sister later that day.

"Big deal. I could bet you in a battle with three paws stuck in the mud." Barenpaw complained.

"You're not supposed to fight your own Clanmates." Ivystorm flicked his ear. they were in the medicine cat den and she was healing a bad cut on Barenpaw's shoulder. Redfur was the last cat in the Clan who hadn't had an apprentice when Barenpaw was a kit, so she got Barenpaw as her first apprentice earlier than usual. "If we were battling ThunderClan and you suddenly started attacking cats from your own Clan, I think Larchstar would eat your tail for fresh-kill."

"Yeah, I could still out-hunt you!" Barenpaw jumped away from Ivystorm as she finished putting the Marigold on the wound. He chased Redfur out of the camp to hunt. Ivystorm stiffled a purr at the young cat's eagerness and padded out to the Fresh-kill pile.

"Ivystorm, I need to talk to you about Fallowear's kits." Tallear whispered in her ear as she picked up a vole. She padded back into the medicine den and waited for Tallear to speak. "I must leave the Clan."

"What!" Ivystorm gasped, choking on the vole. First of all, this had nothing to do with Fallowear's kits, Second of all, this was crazy!

"Yes, I see that you are brave enough and smart enough to take care of this Clan alone." Tallear continued. "I am growing old, but I am sill to young to retire. I have realized that we only have one future, and I don't think I can ruin mine any more with me being responisble for so many deaths. I let the deputy die, and Larchstar will need a new deputy by moonhigh. I have caused this Clan too much trouble."

"No! Don't go!" Ivystorm yowled.

"I must go. I will ethier be a rouge or become a kittypet, but I must leave. Leafkit will make a good apprentice for you. May StarClan Light Your Path, Ivystorm."

"And may StarClan Light Yours, Tallear."

Ivystorm felt uncomfortable. She seemed to be the only one who knew Tallear had left. As Larchstar climbed on top of the great stone to tell his Clan of the new deputy, she jumped up beside him.

"What is she doing up there?" the cats cried in astonisment.

"What are you doing up here, Ivystorm?" Larchstar asked threatingly.

"Tallear is dead!" she would never admit her mentor had left out of shame to become a kittypet. "He was attacked by a dog and carried off on his way to the Moonstone today."

Cries of dismay rang around the clearing. "Imagine! We don't even have his body to send him properly off to StarClan!" and elder yowled.

"Tallear will still have a vigil tonight. On a somewhat lighter note, Redfur will be the new RiverClan deputy!"

Chapter 6: A Great Sickness

Redfur padded into the Warrior's den after her first day as deputy. Imagine, she was barley a warrior and she was Deptuy!

She listened to Poolwater arguing with her mate, Featherfoot. "No, Featherfoot. You are sick! Go to Ivystorm, please!"

"No, I'm not sick, I'm fine!" Featherfoot snapped. Redfur settled next to her old mentor when Poolwater finally gave up. She purred with laughter when Milkspill, the newest warrior, stumbled at the entrance over three other warriors.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Moonpebble purred. Redfur looked at the warrior in surprise. How did she not notice the affection in Moonpebble's eyes when she looked at Milkspill?

"I'm sorry." Milkspill meowed. His white pelt shone silver in the moonlight leaking in from the holes in the roof of the Warrior's Den. He settled next to Milkspill. Redfur stifled a sigh of regret. She could never have kits, if she was to lead the Clan. She settled down and fell slowly asleep.

Redfur awoke in a strage clearing. Not Fourtrees, it looked lke it was in Thunderclan territory. She turned and watched as a patrol of Thunderclan cats padded towards her. She waited for them to ask her what she was doing on their territory, when they walked right past her.

"Let's follow them, shall we?" she jumped and saw Larchstar.

"Larchstar? What are you doing here?" she asked. Larchstar didn't answer, just started after the patrol. Redfur recognized the deputy of ThunderClan, Rainsplash, and two apprentices, Greenpaw and Dotpaw. As far as she could see, it was only three cats. They were headed to RiverClan territory.

"Larchstar, what's going on?" she asked. Larchstar stayed silent. They emerged near the river. Rainsplash padded right up to the river and stuck his paw in. He drew it back and waited, gazing into the river. Suddenly, he stuck his paw back in and drew out a fish. He bit it's neck and dragged it to a safe place.

"Prey-stealers!" Redfur hissed. Rainsplash looked around suddenly, as though he had heard her. Redfur held her breath and waited for him to turn back around. But he didn't. Rainsplash stiffened when a golden cat emerged from the bushes.

"Stealing prey from RiverClan, Rainspash?" Redfur recognized Yellowstar, leader of ThunderClan.

"No, Yellowstar." Rainsplash stepped back and his voice shook.

"Liying to your Clan leader, too." Yellowstar snarled.

"You're starving us, Yellowstar!" Rainsplash snapped. "You have given all our territory to ShadowClan, and the only bits we have left are not rich in hunting!"

"The Clan leader's word is the Warrior Code!" Yellowstar snapped. The golden tom stepped forward and bit Rainsplash on the shoulder. Rainsplash fought back by tring to bite Yellowstar's neck, Yellowstar won. He bit Rainsplash's hind leg so hard it collapsed under him. Yellowstar shoved him in the river among yowling and hissing from the two apprentices.

"Do you want to go in after him?" Yellowstar snarled. Greenpaw ignored him but Dotpaw backed off. Yellowstar snarled again and shoved Greenpaw into the river.

"I think it is time you wake up, Redfur." Larchstar meowed to her. She had almost forgotten he was there. Yellowstar was killing his clanmates! He was crazy!

"Are you dead?" Redfur asked. "Is that why you are in StarClan, showing me this?"

"No, but I am close to death, close enough to visit StarClan without being dead quite yet." Larchstar faded and Redfur woke up in the warriors den.

"Larchstar!" she yowled. Poolwater looked up and stared at her with a strange look. "He's sick!"

Ivystorm was bending over Barenpaw, who had a thorn in his paw. "Larchstar?" Ivystorm asked, horrified to see her sister carring the leader into the medicine den.

"He's sick!" Leafpaw rushed in. Her mentor, Gobblemouth, followed her.

"Redfur, Gobblemouth, Poolwater, please leave me in peace!" Ivystorm meowed, bending over Larchstar. "Leafpaw, go look for some Feverfew."

Leafpaw padded down the riverbed. She smelled feverfew. She stopped and padded into the forest near Sunningrocks. She knew it was Thunderclan territory, but this was a desperate time. She located the bush of white flowers and picked some.

She hurried off ThunderClan territory and saw a blue-gray bundle next to a blackish bundle. She dropped the herbs and hurried over to the cats.

"Greenpaw, Greenpaw, please wake up." The blue-gray tom was meowing. She recognized him as the deputy of ThunderClan, Rainsplash.

"What's ThunderClan doing on our territory?" she called across the river.

"Who are you to talk?" Rainsplash gasped. "I saw you taking our Feverfew."

"That's different." Leafpaw looked away. She looked back up. She gasped as she saw the gash on Rainsplash's shoulder and his limp paw. "What happened?"

"I must speak with Larchstar." Rainsplash picked Greenpaw's dead body by the scruff and collapsed under the weight.

"I'll take Greenpaw." Leafpaw meowed.

"Fine. I'll carry the Feverfew."

Chapter 7: A Crazy Cat

"Redfur, go check and see what happened to Leafpaw!" Ivystorm snapped.

"I'm right here." Leafpaw emerged at the entrance to the medicine den. Ivystorm gasped. She had a dead apprentice and the ThunderClan deputy with her!

"Please, Ivystorm." Rainstorm meowed. "I need to talk to Larchstar."

"You can't." Ivystorm meowed as she pushed him back with her tail. "Larchstar's to sick. Anything you can tell the RiverClan Leader, you can tell to the deputy." Ivystorm flicked her tail to Redfur.

Rainstorm scowled. "But this is urgent!"

Ivystorm gave him a killer look. "Tell the deputy then! Larchstar is too weak to listen to the tales of a Thunderclan deputy!"

Rainstorm glared at the medicine cat, then padded out into the leaders den to talk to Redfur in private. It was rock with pretty shells pressed into the rock. as he walked on, he found perfectly round pebbles on the floor and leaves of seaweed. Larchstar's nest smelled of sickness, so Rainstorm pushed it away with his tail. "I need to talk to you about Yellowstar." He thought he saw a strange look in Redfur's eyes. He couldn't place what emotion it showed, but he knew that it must have something to do with Yellowstar because she only got the look when he said his leader's name. "I think he's gone crazy. He gave half our territory to ShadowClan and apprenticed the kits much too early."

"I know." redfur meowed quietly. "He attacked you. He pushed you and Greenpaw into the river." Rainstorm's eyes nearly jumped off his face.

"How in the name of Starclan do you know that?"

"It doesn't matter." Redfur meowed. "I just know. More importantly, what do you expect Riverclan to do about it?"

" I don't know." Rainstorm meowed, flicking his tail worridly. "But I wish for my mate to be rescued, along with her kits. But it would be suicide for me or a cat from another clan to go help her."

Redfur shuffled her paws. She couldn't leave Rainstorm's mate and helpless kits to an evil leader. "I can't garnette anything, but I'll ask Larchstar when he gets better."

Rainstorm's eyes flashed. "I don't belive Larchstar will get better. He looked weak."

"He'll be fine!" redfur meowed. "I can't be leader yet! i've only been deputy for half a moon!"

Rainstorm jumped back. He hadn't expected such and outburst from the RiverClan deputy. " Is he on his last life?"

"Yes." Redfur confessed. "Ivystorm told me. He has to live, I'm not ready to lead my Clan yet." Rainstorm pressed carefully against her to comfort her.

Ivystorm left Leafpaw to care for Larchstar and hse padded off to find some catmint, feverfew, and Marigold roots. Larchstar had finaly awoken, but was still weak. He had complained about stiff joint, heat, and headache. He might have a disease Ivystorm knew as Hailcough. It is called that because the first cat to catch it was named Hailcloud. there is no sypmtoms, about three days into it the cat gets stiff, their brain doesn't get much oxgen, and they get greencough syomptoms. It is fatal, like Blackcough, because it grows too quickly.

Ivystorm padded over to Highrock. She bunched her muscles, although they weren't very strong, and jumped to Highrock.. She sat at the top and called, "May all cats old enough to swim please gather here below Highrock!"

She watched Rainstorm and Redfur pad out from the leader's den below her. The leaders den was a tunnel inside the side of Highrock, so if you sat on Highrock you were practicly sitting on top of the leader's den. But inside they had lined the walls with leaves and the ground with pebbles so the cold rock didn't make the den cold.

Flowerglow, Orangefoot, and Moonpebble padded out of the nursery. They had been visiting Rockfall, who was carring Frenzybird's kits. Frenzybird walked into camp at that moment with a trout dangling from his jaws. Milkspill was following him and behind him was Darknight. Milkspill ran over to Moonpebble and whispered to her. Moonpebble whispered back and pointed at the medicien cat den. Most likley telling Milkspill why Ivystorm was calling a clan meeting.

Whitecloud stretched and sat near the bottom of Highrock. Poolwater padded out of the apprentice den with Weedpaw behind her. Ivystorm stopped watching the clan gathering and focused on the coughing nosies coming from the medicine cat den. Consern flashed on Blazepaw's face and she peered in to check on Larchstar. "Don't!" Ivystorm hissed to the apprentice. Blazepaw jumped and turned to Ivystorm. "You can't catch it!" She hissed. Blazepaw joined the clan meeting and bowed her head like she had missbehaved.

"Is Larchstar getting any better?" Rainstorm asked. Redfur flicked him with her tail, as if to say, "Shush!" Teh rest of the clan all gazed around.

"What's HE doing here?!" Burst out Frenzybird. "He's the Thunderclan deputy!"

"Oh, StarClan!" Floodriver meowed. "Greenpaw!" they had noticed the dead ThunderClan apprentice lying outside the leader's den.

"You'll understand in a moment!" Ivystorm hissed over the crowd to get their attention. "Let me speak!" The Clan fell silent. Jayclaw and Sharptalon looked like they were going to explode with confusion and anger. "What I have to say is about Larchstar!" Ivystorm continued.

"He's going to live, isn't he?" Frozenpool asked. She was sitting outside the nursery with Rockfall. she had just moved to the nursery because she was carrying Floodriver's kits.

"Stop interuping me, please!" Ivystorm meowed. then continued, "He is not going to live. He has Hailcough." She flicked her tail to signal that it was ok for someone to talk now.

"But, is he on his last life?" Spotfur asked.

"Hailcough? Where could he have gotten it?" asked Softfoot, Spotfur's sister.

"our leader is going to die?" Moonpebble asked.

"Why are you admitting our leader is dying in front of an eniemy?" Milkspill hissed. This call was louder than all the others.

"Rainstorm is not an enemy!" Ivystorm told the crowd. "Redfur will explain in a moment!" Then Ivystorm flicked her tail for the chatter to stop. "Hailstar is on his last life. I can make him survive, but frankly he only has half a moon left. I have no idea where he could have gotten it, but no one else will get it. We are going to be moving him outside camp to the shore upriver. I have built a den for him there. If we get an epidemic, we will all die. I will live there with him, and I will leave Leafpaw here to keep track of you and keep the whole clan healthy. If, er... when Larchstar dies I will have to stay alone for three days to make sure I haven't caught it before i go back to camp."

Moonpebble's eyes were round with panic. "Larchstar... he's going to die so soon... Redfur is going to be leader so soon?" she stuttered.

"I'm afraid so." Ivystorm meowed. "I will move along with Larchstar tonight."

Redfur saw her sister jump down from the Highrock. Ivystorm looked at her and flicked her tail. "Go tell them about Rainstorm." she told Redfur, pointing to the highrock with her tail. Redfur clawed her way up the highrock.

"Rainstorm has moved to Riverclan temporarily. And, possibly, Permanetly." she called over the cats. She ignored their outbursts. "Yellowstar has gone insane, well, close to it. He gave a large amount of territory to ShadowClan and was starving his Clanmates. He was making three month old kits apprentices and sending them into battle. Rainstorm was attacked and pushed into the river to die by Yellowstar himself because he was stealing RiverClan prey."

"He was stealing prey? He'd deserve it!" Jayclaw called. There were murmurs of agreement from most of the toms, but the all the she-cats in the clan, excluding a few, turned to him and hissed.

"You Frog-brain!" Moonpebble hissed. "Yellowstar was straving him! It doesn't matter if he was stealing prey, Yellowstar obivously isn't a good leader!"

"Queit!" Orangefoot snapped at the crowd. "She's speaking!"

Redfur continued. "we must save more ThunderClan cats. Especially queens, kits, and elders. No life should be lost in this situation, even Thunderclan life." Redfur sadly flicked her tail to the dead body of Greenpaw below. "Greenpaw was shoved in the river also, for sticking up for Rainstorm. We can't have more innocent lives lost."

"Should we send a patrol to save those ThunderClan brats?" Jayclaw called.

"We should, but hopefully no cat wil be lost. We will send our strongest cats on the patrol. We can't risk death. I will go, along with Floodriver, Poolwater, Thornbush, Gobblemouth, Milkspill, Darknight, Softfoot, Spotfur, Jayclaw, and me."

"That's quite a lot of cats." Moonpebble commented. "Will we need that much?"

Redfur's eyes flashed. "You don't know how feirce Yellowstar is, now."

Rainstorm climbed Highrock next to her. "I insist on going." He meowed, flicking his black tail.

"Fine." redfur meowed. "If you don't mind fighting your Clanmates."

Rainstorm scowled at her. "I won't be fighting. I'll be getting my mate and the other queens and kits out of there."

Redfur nodded." very well. We leave tommorrow at Sunset."

Chapter 8: a Rescue

Redfur led the patrol across the river. She swam carefully witht he RiverClan patrol behind her. At the moment, sunningrocks belonged to RiverClan. Rainstorm was taking the Stepping Stones. Redfur would have teased him about getting his paws wet, but this situation was too serious. Redfur shook herself as she led the patrol out of the water and snuck farther into ThunderClan territory.

"Careful!" Rainstorm whispered. "You're near the ShadowClan Border!" Redfur was confused. Did ShadowClan have so much of Thunderclan territory that the border only extended a little past their camp?

"Okay." Refur meowed leading the battle patrol in the other direction. when they found the camp they saw Beetlefoot guarding the entrance.

"Beetlefoot!" Rainstorm hissed to his brother. "Beetlefoot! Come here!" Beetlefoot looked aorund and saw Rainstorm. His eyes grew wide.

"Rainstorm, You're alive!" Beetlefoot whispered. "Yellowstar said you were stealing prey from RiverClan when you fell into the river and hit your head on a rock!"

"Fox-dung!" Rainstorm hissed. "He attacked me and shoved me in the river with Greenpaw! I've had to stay with RiverClan and Greenpaw is dead! We're here to rescue cats who are aganist Yellowstar."

Beetlefoot looked back and forth, to make sure there were no more thna the battle patrol. "Just don't hurt anyone... well.. good." bettlefoot paused then meowed, "I'll go in and tell the queens and Halfpelt." He padded away.

"Who is-" Redfur asked, then cut herself off. She just waited for Beetlefoot to come back. Maybe they could get away from this without fighting...

"Beetlefoot, what are you doing?" came a voice. It was Yellowstar.

"Birdcall and Leafheart wanted to go for a walk." beetlefoot meowed, inventing wildly.

"At moonhigh, with Birdcall's kits?" Yellowstar sounded sckeptical.

"We were going to sneak away." Birdcall meowed. "we didn't want to be distrubed, but Beetlefoot saw us and wanted to come with us to make sure we would be okay."

"while he was on guard duty?!" Yellowstar snapped. "We would be left unprotected so some queens could go for a moonhigh walk?" Yellowstar leaped at Birdcall, leaving a big bleeding wound at her neck.

"Birdcall!" Rainstorm hissed. He ripped through the wall of the camp and leaped onto Yellowstar's back. He reached forward and bit Yellowstar's neck as hard as he could. When Yellowstar stopped moving, he grabbed Birdcall and dragged her away.

"He's losing a life!" beetlefoot meowed. "We should get every cat we can out of here while he's out!" Redfur raced forward to the elder's den and saw an old gray tom.

"You need to leave!" she hissed to him.

"I know, I know." The tom meowed. His fur was patchy, he was most likley the one named Halfpelt. He heaved himself up and padde dout of camp. Then she padded to the apprentices den.

"Anyone who wants to live must leave wiht us!" She hissed into the den. A bunch of apprentices, all asking what was going on, left camp to be led home by the rest of the patrol. When they had everybody who needed rescuing, they left as quickly as they could. They had everybody across the river except Bettlefoot, Rainstorm, and Redfur.

"I should stay." Beetlefoot meowed. "I'm the new deputy."

"you can't." Rainstorm pointed out. "Yellowstar will know you were in on the rescue, after all you were leading the queens away."

"Rainstorm, come on!" Birdcall meowed from the other side of the river. They had stopped the bleeding and the mediicne cat had givne them some herbs to heal her with. They would have to see Leafpaw when they got back, for Ivystorm had already moved away with Larchstar. then a call broke the silence.

"I'll kill you, Rainstorm!" Yellowstar came form nowhere, flying at Rainstorm. redfur pulled Rainstorm out of the way, and Yellowstar flew into the river, hittign his face on the stepping stone. Yellowstar was swept a bit downstream, but by then Redfur had pulled Rainstorm and Beetlefoot into the river. they emerged onto the Riverclan side of the river. They ran before Yellowstar could pursue them, and found themslves back at camp, panting.

Chapter 9: Leader Gone

Redfur looked up at the moon. It was full moon today. Larchstar hadn't been getting better. She decided to check on Birdcall and her kits. She had devolped a cough a couple days ago. Half a moon had passed, and Refur was missing her sister. Dramaticly, at that moment, Ivystorm appeared in the camp entrance. she raised her muzzle and called across the camp, "Larchstar is dead!"

Redfur felt like Ivystorm had slapped her. Her leg buckled under her, and she fell into the dust. it wasn't just the loss of her leader that struck her, but the fact that she was leader of the clan. She was leader, but she was only 5 seasons old. Whitecloud, Orangefoot, softfoot, Spotfur, she could name so many cats that deserved this mor ethan she did, and wanted it mroe than she did. she became unaware of any cats around her, she was lost in her daydreams, her memories, her shock when she was made deputy, being named Redfur and training Barenpaw. She wasn't ready for this, she wasn't!

"How could Starclan do this?" a voice shouted from across the clearing.

"Larchstar was much too young!" another voice called.

"And at a time like this!" Redfur heard Birdcall only a few tal-lengths away. She blinked back tears. After all, she had to let her clan know that there was hope, but she just couldn't do it. She didn't feel any hope, none at all. Then she looked up, and through blurry eyes she saw Birdcall's strongest kit, Ivorykit. She was a small white she-kit who never left her mother's side unless told. Redfur gazed at the kit. Her father was attacked, almost killed, she was driven from her clan and forced to live in an enemy territory, panic always in her heart, all because of a bad leader. Redfur finally found confidence. She would never be a leader like Yellowstar! She would always put her clan first, no matter what!

She padded over to Ivystorm. "we should go to the Moonstone tonight. I won't let my clan go without a leader for long. And I'll take Barenpaw too. He needs to see the Moonstone soon, he'll need to take his assessment soon." Redfur padded into the leader's-no, her den and picked up Larchstar's nest. She tossed it away and left to get new mosss for herself. Once she did, she fetched Barenpaw and left with Ivystorm for the Moonstone.

Chapter 10: Redfur-er-star

Redfur padded into the darkness of the Mothermouth, her nose touching Ivystorm's tail ahead of her. they had left Barenpaw outside, for only a medicine cat could ocompany a deputy to the leader ceremony. Redfur was dazzled by light when they emegered.

"touch you nose-" Ivystorm started to meow but was interrupted by redfur.

"I know." Redfur touched her pink nose to the crystal silver stone.(ok, im skipping this part once i figure out what lives she will get)

Redstar padded onto the highrock. "I belive the next deputy of RiverClan should be brave and loyal. The best cat to be RiverClan deputy is Jayclaw."

Chapter 11: The Violet Stone

Ivystorm woke up to Leafpaw prodding her with her paw. "What is it?" Ivystorm asked sleepily.

"A fight." Leafpaw meowed simply, flicking her tail.

With horror, Ivystorm smelled blood. She flew up and ran outsid eth eden. She saw Redstar, Orangefoot, Whitecloud, Frenzybird, Milkspill, and Beetlefoot all bleeding, in the middle of camp. Redstar's eyes glowed with relief as she saw her sister padding out. She was panting and attempted to explain the fight to Ivystorm, "Yellowstar...had patrol on... border, attacked... us.... we were outnumbered... he took Featherpaw...I don't know...if he let her.... live or...not.." Redstar's eyes blurred a bit and Ivystorm ran over to her side.

"Rest" Ivystorm meowed. "I'll take care of everybody once i have you healed up."

Redstar frowned and shook her head. "no, take... care of... the... others first" However, at that moment Redstar collapesed. Ivystorm hauled her back to the den.

"Aren't you going to heal her first?" Frenzybird asked. He was bleeding from his ear, favoring one paw, and had a slash across his chest. Rockfall tumbled head over paws into the den. she anded on her feet right in front of Frenzybird like she had appeared out of thin air.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay? Does it hurt much? What's wrong with your paw?" Frenzybird flinched away from his mate as she shot question after question at him. Ivystorm purred withh amusement and found Leafpaw treating Beetlefoot.

"You should treat your own clan first." Bettlefoot grumbled. "I'm not even RiverClan. I only eat the birds on the fresh-kill pile and i go hungry if the only food we can catch is fish."

"Quiet." Leafpaw mutered back to him. "if this wound gets infected you'll be in StarClan before you'll get back to thunderClan." beetlefoot frowned. The wound was a huge one down his belly and it was still gushing blood. Beetlefoot was weakening but was standing tall, trying to appear strong.

"Orangefoot? Orangefoot?" Whitecloud was calling. "Orangefoot? Where did you go?" Everything froze and all the cats in the medicine den, excluding Redstar who was still unconsious, looked around for Orangefoot. "She must have snuck away!" Whitecloud huffed. "That scratch could get infected if she keeps walking around!"

"Relax." Ivystorm meowed. "Right now we should worry about healing everyone and keeping Redstar alive. If we don't help StarClan with that wound she could lose more than one life."

"What?" Whitecloud's ears perked up. "She's losing a life?" He ran in and sat by his daughter's side. Redstar was motionless. The rest of the crowd attempted to crawl into the den to Redstar, excluding Beetlefoot who was still muttering, but ivystorm blocked them with her tail.

"get back." Ivystorm meowed. "Any more cats in the den and we won't be able to move!" Ivystorm saw Leafpaw move away from Beetlefoot.

"And if you move too much and lose that binding-" Leafpaw meowed. "You'll have to worry about me sending you to StarClan instead of the infection!"

"Leafpaw, go take care of Whitecloud and redstar." Ivystorm ordered. Leafpaw padded away, glaring at Beetlefoot. Ivystorm gave him a glance and when he thought she wasn't looking, he sighed and showed how tired he was. Ivystorm saw him slouch and his ears drooped. Ivystorm just frowned and went to treat Milkspill, who was rolling his eyes at Moonpebble as she poured over him.

Orangefoot padded itno the medicine cat den. "Where did you go?" Ivystorm asked, waking up. It was the middle of the night.

"Hunting." Orangefoot meowed, dropping a trout and a bird on the fresh-kill pile. "Beetlefoot and Rainstorm will be happy, that bird is big enough for them boht to eat. I know nethier of them like fish."

"Your scratches could get infected!" Ivystorm huffed.

"Leafpaw binded my wounds." Orangefoot meowed. "But they came off in the water."

"That's why you can't fish!" Ivystorm pointed out.

"I had to fish." Orangefoot meowed. "Almost all the warriors are injuired." Ivystorm just sighed, finished treating Orangefoot, then had her lay down to sleep with all the cats in the medicine cat den. She picked her way carefully through all the cats and fell asleep.

Ivystorm woke up to find Frenzybird, Milkspill, and Beetlefoot missing. they both returned later with birds and fish. their bindings came off too. "No more hunting!" Ivystorm cursed at them. "Jayclaw, Sharpclaw, Poolwater, and Moonshine can hunt, but the injured warriors go hunting!" Ivystorm flicked her tail and cursed again.

"Ivy, calm down." Redstar meowed. Her breathing was hard with the effort to pick herself up.

"Redstar, get back to your nest." Ivystorm meowed. "you're not fit."

"i'm fit enough to lead my clan." Redstar meowed. "But she's right. Jayclaw, organize patrols. Frenzybird, Milkspill, Beetlefoot, get back to the medicine den."

Jayclaw nodded. He went inot the warriors den to find cats fit enough to patrol. "Sharptalon, Poolwater, Gobblemouth, and Floodriver go hunting. wait, take Barenpaw with you. He hasn't been out since Redstar got hurt."

Redstar huffed at this. Ivystorm saw danger and dived in front of Redstar. "I think it's about time Barenpaw has his assesment." Ivystorm meowed.

"But you just told me i should stay in camp." Redstar tipped her head to the side.

"Someone else could assess him, or you could wait until you're better."

"I'll have someone else assess him."

Ivystorm and Leafpaw were out herb hunting. "Redstar can take care of them. they won't hunt with her breathing down their fur." Leafpaw told Ivystorm. Ivystorm nodded.

"We need more marigold, cobwebs, and feverfew." Ivystorm meowed, changing the subject. Leafpaw ran off towards the river.

Ivystorm found some marigold and pulled out the stems and heads. she dug out the roots. They were good for headaches and dizziness. Ivystorm wrapped them up in a huge leaf and rolled it up into a bundle. then she sniffed the air. Feverfew bush nearby. She padded voer tot he river and sniffed the air. She felt a little annouied when she realized that the feverfew bush was on ThunderClan territory. She huffed to herself. she wasn't in a very good mood anymore.

She turned away and went to pad away to look for more feverfew. then she heard Leafpaw. "Ivystorm! Come look at this!"

Ivystorm ran towards Leafpaw's meow. LEafpaw pointed at a Strange purple stone with her paw. They were stuck along the stepping stones.Ivystorm sniffed the strange rock. It was bright violet, and crumbly like sandstone. It smelled like herbs and was worn thin by the river water. She broke a fragment off with her paw and stuck it in the water. It became gluey. She took it out and stuck it to a nearby leaf. It stuck and refused to come off. She stuck the leaf and the gluey stone back in the water but it wouldn't come off. "This is amazing!" she called to Leafpaw. "Help me get this back to camp!"

Chapter 12: Kits

Redstar felt much better. she strecthed and consulted Ivystorm. "Yes, You're better now." Ivystorm told her sister. Redstar smiled and padded over to Jayclaw.

"start organising patrols." she ordered. Then, suddenly, there came two screams form the nursery."frozenpool and Rockfall!" Redstar exclaimed.

Ivystorm and Leafpaw ran out of the medicine cat den with borage leaves and a stick. Redstar waited outside. Then she thought she should look for Frenzybird and Floodriver. She padded into the warrior's den and prodded Frenzybird. "Wake up! Rockfall's having kits! so is Frozenpool!" Frenzybird's eye flew open and jumped up. He ran to the nursery before Redstar could say anything.

"Where's Floodriver?" Leafpaw called from the nursery. "Frozenpool wants him." Redstar looked around and around. Floodriver wasn't in camp.

"He went out on patrol!" Jayclaw called. "They should be back by Sunhigh." Frozenpool cried again from inside the nursery.

Ivystorm felt Frozenpool's belly. "Three kits." Ivystorm meowed. Then padded over to Rockfall. "Four kits."

"Bad luck. they're both kitting at the same time." LEafpaw commented, coping Ivystorm. then frozenpool's body spasmed and she let out a yowl of pain.

"the first is coming!" Ivystorm handed Frozenpool the stick. "Bite down on the stick when the pain comes." She told her. Frozenpool bit hard on the stick and the first kit slid out. "Lick him, get him breathing!" Ivystorm commanded Leafpaw. Leafpaw licked the tom until he let out a breath.

Then Rockfall let out a cry of pain at the same time as Frozenpool. Two she-kits, one from each queen or course, slid out. Leafpaw ran to both of them, licking their fur the wrong way until they each took a breath. She kept the kits apart so they didn't mix up the queens' kits.

As time slid by, Jayclaw and Redstar arranged patrols. Finally Floodriver appeared in the entrance to the camp, dragging a huge fish in between him and Sharptalon. "Floodriver, get in the nursery!" Redstar snapped at him, her temper running low with excitment and fear. Floodriver looked as thugh he was about to question why, when he heard Frozenpool's cry of pain. He dropped the fish onto Sharptalon's foot (sharptalon hissed angrily) and ran into the nursery. Once he had gone, Restar picked up the fish and helped Sharptalon carry it to the fresh-kill pile.

Frenzybird poured over his four kits. Ivystorm kept tryign to get at Rockfall, but Frenzybird was in the way. "Get out of my way!" She snapped after about a minute. Frenzybird jumped back, allowing Ivystorm to give his mate borage. rockfall had Four healthy kits, three she-kits and a tom. Frozenpool lay weak on th eother side of the nursery, her three kits nursing. Her kits were two toms and one she-kit.

"thinking of names yet?" Ivystorm asked the weak queen. floodriver was keeping an eye on her, and nudging his kits playfully with his nose.

"I think this kit should be named Streamkit." Floodriver meowed, since Frozenpool didn't look like she was going to respond. He poked a gray tom with his nose. Streamkit prodded Floodriver away weakly with a tiny paw.

"This one will be Shimmerkit." Frozenpool meowed, prodding a tortiseshell she-kit with her nose. Shimmerkit meowed softly and settled down for her first nap.

"And I think this one should be Hailkit." Leafpaw Meowed, pointing to the last tom kit. "For the sickness that killed our past leader."

Frozenpool nodded weakly then lay back down, resting her head on her paws. "You have an idea what to name your kits, rockfall?" She asked her friend.

"I think this one should be Meadowkit, Petalkit, Pollenkit, and Frenzybird should pick the tom's name." Rockfall meowed.

"You like flowers, Rockfall?" Leafpaw remarked playfully.

"I think the last one should be called Berrykit." Frenzybird meowed, prodding the tom back into his nest as he stumbled around on tiny, wobbly legs.

"Perfect!" Rockfall nudged frenzybird back and swept the kits closer to her wiht her tail.

Redstar saw Ivystorm pad out of the nursery. "Frozenpool has four kits, two toms and one she-kit. rockfall had four kits, three kits and one tom."

"Good." Redstar nodded. "The clan is blessed by starclan for these kits." I wish I had kits. Redstar thought. I was made leader before I went to my first gathering as a warrior!

Redstar pushed intot eh nursery to visit the new kits. She saw how cute the kits were, and how strong they were. When her eyes fell on Frozenpool, her stomach rolled in her belly. "Is she okay?" she asked Floodriver.

"Yes, she's just tired." Floodriver meowed, not beliving his own words.

Chapter 13: Warriors= gain and loss

Birdcall's and LEafheart's kits were ready to become warriors. Birdcall and LEafheart disapproved of them being rasied RiverClan, but they really didn't have a chioce. "Please step forward." Redstar called to the apprentices.

Barenland, Moongaze, and Patchfoot, the newest warriors, watched with authority. The apprentices stepped forward, excited.

Ivorypaw, Quietpaw, Fluffypaw, Kalepaw, and Groundpaw all waited tentativly. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even with your life, and to be loyal to your clan when you return?"

"I do!" all the apprentices echoed at the same time.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Ivorypaw, you will be know as Ivoryclaw now. Quietpaw, you will be known as Quietstep. Fluffypaw, you will be known as Fluffyfur now. Kalepaw, you wil be known as Kaleleaf now. And lastly, Groudpaw, you will be known as Groundstone from now on." Redstar jumped down form the Highrock and touched the top of the new warriors' heads with her muzzle.

"It must be terrible, to be rasied away from your clan." Redstar told Beetlefoot. "It must be terrible for you, too. you were deputy. I don't know if you will ever get back to Thunderclan anymore."

"Yeah." beetlefoot agreed. "We should patrol the border again."

"Jayclaw!" Redstar called. "Me and Beetlefoot are going to patrol the Thunderlcan border!" Beetlefoot would have blushed if he didn't have fur. He didn't know Redstar was going to go with him alone.

Redstar glanced at Beetlefoot and wondered what emotion was showing in his blank eyes. "Come on, Beetlefoot." Redstar meowed, wondering what was going through his mind. Beetlefoot shook his head and followed her out the entrance to the den.

Beetlefoot gazed down at his paws as him and redstar padded alongside the border. Redstar wondered why he wasn't looking at her. "Something wrong, Beetlefoot?" She asked.

"Thanks." Beetlefoot meowed softly, not looking up from his paws.

"For what?" redstar asked, confused.

"For saving us from Yellowstar.My Brother's kits would be dead by now if you hadn't."

"Er.. you're welcome." Redstar meowed.

"And um...-" Beetlefoot went on, but went silent. Redstar waited for a long time for Beetefoot to finish what he had said, but he just padded silently on.

"what were you going to-" redstar started to ask, but them everything went dark. then she saw Floodriver with tears running from his eyes, yowling in the night and standing next to the motionless body of Frozenpool. Rockfall stood nearby, her tail curled around her and Frozenpool's kits, holding them back. Ivystorm stood nearby, crying softly and dropping some herbs. She heard her sister's vioce, what she was thinking.

"this is my fault.." Ivystorm's voice roared in her head. "I should have been closer to camp when it happened, Maybe tallear should have stayed. Maybe I should have begged him to stay, and become a warrior apprentice instead. Now, because i didn't, a real cat is dead."

"No!" Redstar exclaimed, stepping forward, runnign forward to comfort her sister. But the darkness around the corners of her vision faded and she found herself running into something solid. she looked up, she was back on border patrol with Beetlefoot, and she had run striaght into a tree. beetlefoot was at her side in a blink.

"Are you ok? What happened? you left a dent in the tree bark!" Beetlefoot meowed things over and over again, but his words passed through redstar's head. she wondered what had happened.

"I need to go back to camp." redstar meowed.

"yes you shomet iysorm youcou huryou head adly!" beetlefoot meowed, words tumbling out so fast Redstar could barely understand them. of course, he meant, "yes, you should see Ivystorm, you could have hurt your head badly!"

"No,"Redstar meowed, walking confidently and quickly back the way they came. "not Ivystorm, I need to see Frozenpool."

the camp was in mortal peril when Redstar came back. It was exactly like Redstar had seen before. She padded straight into the nursery, seeing it empty except Rockfall, Ivystorm, and Frozenpool's dead body. "How did she die" Redstar asked Ivystorm briskly.

"I-I don't know." Ivystorm stammered. "she just died in her sleep. Her kits were the first to notice." The white and silver she-cat glanced outside at Rockfall, trying to keep the kits out of the nursery. "The poor things. If they were old enough to knew what just happened they would be crying enough to soak rockfall's fur."

"why? why?" Floodriver was muttering, prodding Frozenpool's body wiht a paw, as if poking her repeatedly would somehow wake her up. "Please, no, starclan, why? why her? please no." he kept repeating the words, "why?", "StarClan.", "Please?", and "No." for a very long time. Then Redstar thought she saw Frozenpool's ghostly image put her tail over Floosriver's mouth.

"Quiet, my love." Frozenpool meowed. "Don't worry, it was my time to join StarClan. I'll be waiting in Starclan for you."

Redstar almost broke out in tears. She padded softly away, back out of camp. she padded along, staring at her paws. when she was near the Windclan Border, she couldn't stand it anymore. the yowl was building up in her, starting in her paws and rising up until it hit her muzzle and threw her head to the skies and yowled, "Why? Why, StarClan? Why must you make my clan suffer? Why must you kill off our warriors? Why did you take Tallears while my sister was so young and make her think low of herslef? and why did you take Larchstar when I was too young? Why must I take care of a whole clan when I am so young?" she repeated the last question over and over until she ran out of breath.

she heard pawsteps behind her. She expected Ivystorm had followed her and was about to try and comfort her, but it wasn't Ivystorm. It wasn't RiverClan. It was Beetlefoot. He padded striaght up to Redstar and fell to his knees, then lay down completely at her side. Redstar sat next to him. they lay next to each other, fur brushing together, watching the water rush ahead of them in the river, slowly tipping over the gorge farther on. Then Beetelfoot broke the silence. "what have we done wrong?" Beetelfoot asked.

"Hmm?" Redstar asked, not taking her eyes off the river ahead.

"what did we do to anger StarClan?" beetlefoot explained. "they're punishing ThunderClan, they're punishing Riverclan, and they're punishing us. Sometimes, I wish I could get away from it all, sometimes i wish I could just disappear."

"Me too." Redstar meowed quietly.

Ivystorm felt tears well in her eyes. She decided the best way to clear her head was to go for a run. she dropped the herbs and meowed, "I'm going out." thne rna out of cmap. She ran along the river from where it emerged onto their territory, and running along it until she reached the corner where the path to fourtrees was. thne she slowed down. And she started to think. she turned around and started padding back around. She soon emerged near Stepping Stones. She jumped across to sunningrocks. She found a huge plant with gargantune leaves that stretched out. She settled under on of the leaves and slowly slept into nightmare-ridden sleep.

She was standing in front of StarClan. Reedpool, Frozenpool's mother, padded up to Ivystorm. "Have faith, Ivystorm. teh storm clouds will cloud and the sun will soon shine on Riverclan once again. but remember, it's always darkest before the dawn."

Chapter 14: Flood

"I'm going." birdcall meowed.

"what?" Rainstorm asked, stunning. they were sitting in the middle of camp, and Ivystorm was fixing a hole in the tunnel to the medicine den, overhearing the mates.

"You know what I mean."Birdcall meowed irritably. "i'm going back to bing a kittypet."

"But..why? I-I love you, why are you going to leave?" Rainstorm stammered.

"Clan life is too stressful. I'm sorry, Rainstorm, but I can't keep living in the clans. And I intend to take my kits."

"WOW!" Ivystorm interupted. "you can't make your kits come if they don't want to go."

Ivoryclaw padded over. "Yea!" She meowed to her mother. "I'm never going to be a kitttypet, and you can't make me!"

"Oh, yes i can!" Birdcall hissed. "I am your mother!"

"If she wants to stay in the Clans, you can't stop her!" Ivystorm snapped.

"Why are you defending her?" Birdcall hissed at Ivystorm. "She's not even from your clan. And I am going to take my kits back to my twolegs' den!"

Quietstep suddenly spoke up, confirming her name as she snuck up on them without them noticing. "You can't make us. you can't rasie us Clan cats, then take us away for no reason. We're not kits anymore, we're warriors and we're going to stay here."

"what?" fluffyfur had just padded into camp. He flew to his sisters' sides. "you're going to make us Kittypets?!"

"Not if I can help it." Ivoryclaw meowed.

"I'm leaving tommorrow, and I will take you with me." Birdcall meowed simply, padding off into the Warriors' Den. rainstorm just stood, mouth open, gazing at the entrance to the Warriors' Den where his mate had disappeared.

"and I'm going back to ThunderClan." all the cats turned around to see who had spoken.It was Leafheart.

"why?!" Ivystorm exclaimed. "Why do you all want to leave? RiverClan is your safe home now. You'll be killed if you go back to ThunderClan!"

"I don't care." Leafheart meowed. "Thunderclan was my birth clan. It was cowardly to leave, and If i die in Thunderclan, I'll die a proud ThudnerClan cat!"

"But this is ridculous!" Ivoryclaw meowed. "You're giving your life up for a Clan that doesn't want you anymore!" They all knew the statement was true, but it drew gasps anyway.

"I was born a Thunderclan cat, and I'll die a ThunderClan cat!" Leafheart hissed at her friend's kit.

After the she-cat left, the fight left most of the thunderclan cats. Everything seemed hopeless. Especially for Redstar and Ivystorm. Live seemed over, and they were just waiting for the last of life to leave their bones. It didn't help that it was foggy for the next week and rained hard. The camp even flooded.

Ivystorm ran out of camp withMeadowkit hanging at her jaws and Shimmerkit, Hailkit, and Petalkit clinging to her back. Rain fel so hard Ivystorm could barely see Rockfall and Floodriver running behind her, each witha kit hanging from thier jaws, Rockfall carrying Streamkit, Floodriver carrying Pollenkit and Berrykit. then up ahead, on high ground, Ivystorm saw a huge hollow tree. She scraped her claws alogn the bottom until they cut a hole inside. She set the kits down in the corner and promising them safety.

Frenzybird caught up to them, soaked. "Halfpelt's washed away." he reported to Ivystorm, no time for saddness. "He refused to leave the den before it was swept away by the river."

Ivystorm bowed her head then ran back down the hill and into th eflooded camp. She was going back for her herbs, but found that the medicien den had floated away. She ran to where it had washed up and padded inside, hoping there were some herbs left. to her surprise, the were. thanks to the violet stones. they had gotten gluey when they wre wet, then the herbs got stuck to them and stayed. Ivystorm picked them up and ran to teh hollow tree, passing Redstar, who was calling out for Beetlefoot.

Ivystorm hid the herbs with the violet stones in the hollow tree then ran back to camp. Ivoryclaw and Rainstorm were attempting to hold down the nursery, but it was swept away int eh current. Ivoryclaw was almost taken away, too, but Rainstorm reached out and grabbed hi daughter's tail.

"Abandon camp!" Redstar hissed over the splattering of rain and sad moans. The cats didn't need to be told twice. All the cats ran out of camp and Ivystorm showed them to the big hollow tree. They all fit snugly, and some cats had t climb a bit to sleep on the shelves higher up the tree. There were some leaves on small branches and moss on the walls, so Ivystorm and Redstar gathered some for kits and Rockfall.

That night no cat could sleep. The flood was almost direct evidence that RiverClan would not last forever.

(short chapter sry)

Chapter 15: Rat Attack!

Redstar padded around the deserted camp. How could this have happened? StarClan hated them. The clan, for now, must live in the hollow tree until the camp was repaired a bit. It looked as though the camp had never been there.

Moonshine and Poolwater were working on the nursery, while Floodriver was depressingly watching. Redstar padded over to him. Floodriver saw the leader coming, and made to jump up and get working, but Redstar flicked her tail to say that she wasn't coming over to scold him. "What's wrong?" she asked worridly.

"I'm just wishing that Frozenpool were working with me."

"She lives on in her kits." Redstar meowed.

Redstar was rebuilding the Apprentices den when Beetlefoot padded over. "I thought you said you weren't eating." Beetlefoot meowed.

"I'm not, unless the clan has enough to eat." Redstar meowed, wondering where Beetlefoot was going with this.

"I only mention it because you're getting pudgy." he meowed, prodding her distended belly.

"I might be sick." Redstar meowed. "I've been having stomachaches, too. Maybe a bug of some sort." Beetelfoot nodded then handed her a pile of reeds he was carring. Then the reeds went flying and both Redstar and Beetelfoot tripped over somethign small and furry.

"Shimmerkit! Berrykit! Get back here!" Ivystorm meowed.

"Here!" Shimmerkit held up a huge reed to Redstar. "I carried it all the way up here!" Berrykit frowned.

"I helped carry it!" he huffed.

"they wanted to help." Ivystorm meowed apoligeticly. "Go help Ivoryclaw with your littermates, kits." Ivystorm told the little kits. the medicine cat padded away with the tiny kittens.

"That's why I'm happy I don't have kits." Redstar meowed at Beetelfoot, climbing back to her paws.

"The camp is almost ready for cats to move back in!" Redstar called from the top of Hollowtree. Ivystorm smiled, the first time since Frozenpool had died. Although, there was nothing to smile about. They were just wearing down the time until RiverClan discintigrated. All the cats were hopeless. StarClan seemed to have turned it's back on RiverClan.

It was still sprinkling outside, and the sky was still gray and foggy. Although it was late at night, all the cats were ollow tree to his own shelf and sat soundly on his nest.wide awake. There was no fresh-kill, and for once the clan was skinny and underfed. Jayclaws jumped up next to Redstar, whispered something in her ear, then announced, "We should hunt for food! the clan will be split into thirds, one third will stay here, another will hunt by the river, and the last will hunt in Mousebarn!"

Cats nodded in agreement. Leafpaw padded up to Ivystorm, returning from an herb hunt with chervil. "Bad news." she whispered to Ivystorm. "All the Violet Stones were washed away by the river."

Ivystorm tensed. What else could go wrong?

She tuned back in in the middle of Jayclaw's announcment, "- and the cats who stay here are Moonshine, Frenzybird, Milkspill, Moonpebble, Gobblemouth, Ivystorm, Leafpaw, and of course, Rockfall and the kits." The deputy jumped off the shelf onto his own shelf and sat soundly in his nest.

Redstar padded to mousebarn next to her mother. The gray foggy sky matched her mood as she spoke solemly to Orangefoot. "We're going to have to hunt very hard. Good thing we've got Fluffyfur, Rainstorm, Moongaze, and Ivoryclaw, I'm not used to hunting mice."

"No RiverClan cat is." Orangefot sighed. "And it doesn't look like you need any food."

Redstar was surprised by this statement. She flicked her ears wonderingly and asked, "what do mean?"

"you're getting pudgy." Orangefoot meowed. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were about to have kits."

"Yea." Redstar meowed, smiling, but it was forced. they saw Mousebarn emerge from the fog in front of them. They padded inside the barn, shaking the water from their pelts. Redstar padded over to Rainstorm. "How exactly do you hunt those things?" Redstar asked, flicking her red tail to a cluster of mice in the corner.

"Watch and learn." Rainstorm meowed, padding over to the nearest haypile. He crouched and waited until one mouse ventured away from teh group to Rainstorm. He pounced and bit the mouse's neck, not scaring the other mice.

"I have an idea." Orangefoot meowed. She explained the idea. Rainstorm, Fluffyfur, and Ivoryclaw climbed a pile of hay, but the rest of the cats flciked their tails and and padded quietly aroudn the mice. when they had a perfect circle around the mice, they ran at them, scaring the mice into a corner. they were trapped.

Then Rainstorm, Fluffyfur, and Ivoryclaw leaped onto the crowd of mice, killign them all. the mice could'nt run because the rest of the cats were in their way. It seemed too cruel to redstar, but her clan was hungry. "Ok, Some of the patrol will stay here." Redstar meowed. "Teh rest will carry the mice back, then come back to help us continue hunting."

Ivoryclaw, Darknight, Poolwater, sharptalon, and Jayclaw went back. Redstar looked all over, but couldn't find any mice. then she saw one out of the corner of her eye. She slowly stalked it, but got up ran away when she noticed what it really was. But it was too late. The rat jumped on her back and bit her neck. "RATS!" she hissed to the other cats. She rolled over on the big rat and killed it, but it had already killed her. the last thing she saw before the world went black was the pack of rats attacking the rest of the patrol. With a stab of dismay, she saw three big rats ganging up on Orangefoot.

Redstar opened her eyes. In front of her, she saw herself. she was barely visible, with stars lining her pelt. redstar looked around herself and saw Starclan cats around her. "Hello, Redstar. you have lost your first life." Meowed Frozenpool.

Larchstar stepped forward. "you must wait a moment for us to heal your wounds. We need you back there, your clan needs you. We've already lost two cats to those rats while you've lost your first life." He flicked his golden tail to two cats away form the others. It was Fluffyfur and Rainstorm. Redstar made to pad over to them, to apoligize for their deaths, but Larchstar broke her path by stepping in front of her. Redstar gazed at the golden tom with blue-gray legs. She nodded and waited.

Jayclaw padded back to Mousebarn, knowing something was wrong. He saw rats attacking his fellow clanmates. He ran to the nearest rat and killed it. He tossed it aside. He killed the next one in his path. he saw Ivoryclaw with tears wettign her fur as she killed the rats attackign Rainstorm and Fluffyfur. Jayclaw stared as he realized that the she-cat's brother and father were dead. then a rat knocked him off his paws.

He rolled over and bit it's neck. He tossed the dead rat aside and found rats teaming up on Orangefoot. He attacked them and tossed their dead bodies aside. He found Orangefoot terrbly hurt. He dragged her outside the barn and set her safely outside. "You'll be ok." he meowed. Tehn joined the fray again.

Moongaze was pinned down by five different rats. they were biting her legs and shoulders, but she squiremed too much for them to reach her neck. then, with surprise, she found she was on her feet again. She saw Ivoryclaw tossing the dead rats aside and running to help Thornbush. Moongaze left to help her too. teh one rat jumped on her back and bit the back of her neck. hard. fatally. She fell tot he ground with darkness surrounding her.

Orangefoot decided she wasn;t going to lay quietly while her clanmates fought rats. She jumped back inside and killed a random rat. She actually took a bite out of it's neck because it made her clench her jaws. She spit out the bitter meat and attacked the next rat to cross her path. then one jumped on her back. She rolled over and bit it's neck. She tripped over anothe rat while another one bit her tail. She felt it bite her tail off. She hissed with pain and clawed at the tail-rat while the trip-rat bit her paws.

Finally a fourth jumped on her back and she became helpless again. It bit her spine and Orangefoot heard it crack. She would be paralized if she lived. She tried to get up, but couldn't move. She passed out.

Redstar was about to wake up when she noticed a small white tom with orange feet. He looked just like ORangefoot. "Who's that?" she asked. But Larchstar only smiled.

"He's a secret."

Redstar appeared in Mousebarn again.

the cats all fleed. they collected their dead and injured, then they ran form the rats. Redstar was carring Jayclaw, who had been found dead shortly before she had woken up. She would need a new deputy. Beside her, Ivoryclaw was carring her brother and father. The rest of the cats carried their dead back to Hollowtree. Darknight was carring Orangefoot, who was not dead, but paralized. She was passed out, but breathing. Redstar sighed. How could the clan survive this?

Chapter 16: Forbidden..

Redstar padded out of her den. She quickly padded to Ivystorm's den to check on Orangefoot. She had fallen terribly ill after she was paralized, and Ivystorm didn;t expect ehr to recover.

Redstar met Ivystorm on the way to the den. "Is she alive?" she asked Ivystorm, who didn't needher to clarify what she meant.

"She's alive." Ivystorm meowed, not meeting her sister's eyes. Redstar immedatly worried and ran inside the dne. She found Orangefoot, weak and shivering, laying in her nest.

"I can't feel anything." Orangefoot meowed. "All my nerves are gone. All I cna feel is heat, from fever." redstar squeak worridly and pressed ehr fur close to her mother's fur.

"You're going to be ok, mother." she meowed, sadly.

"No, I'm not." Orangefoot meowed. "I will never get better."

Redstar didn;t argue. the truth was the truth, after all.

"I love, my daughter." Orangefoot told her. Redstar nodded.

"I love you too, mother."

Redstar felt tears on her furry cheeks. She lay with her nose pressed into Orangefoot's fur, and the sun was rising. But the sky was still gray and it was still raining. Then she stood and gazed sadly at her mothers body.

"I'm Sorry." Beetlefoot pressed his fur against Redstar's fur. Redstar glanced at the thunderclan cat. He was just as sad as her, following the loss of his brother and his nephew.

Redstar felt guilty, as she thoguht about her secret. Her mother had found out moments before her death, and she had told her a secret of her own. Redstar remembered her mother's last moments;

Orangefot lay diying in the medicine cat nest. "Redstar, who's kits?" she asked weakly.

"What?" Redstar asked, her ears flickign worridly.

"you are obviously carring kits. you have not eaten in days, but you are pudgy. You have kits."

"Yes, i do." redstar meowed. "They are Beetelfoot's."

"I see." Orangefoot meowed.

"I'm sorry." Redstar meowed.

"No need to apoligize." ORangefoot meowed. "There's no need to apoligize for love. And I guess I must tell you my secret now..."

Redstar looked at Beetlefoot guiltly. She was about to suggest they go for a wlak together, when Barenland interupted them. "Redstar, should we check the land around Mousebarn to make sure there are no more rats?" the new deputy asked.

"Yes, yes." Redstar meowed, putting off telling the father of her kits the truth. "Let Beetlefoot lead the patrol, and Sharptalon, Frenzybird, Groundstone, and Darknight shall go with him. We need strong warriors, with no injuries."

Barenland padded away to gather the other warriors for the patrol. Beetlefoot gazed wonderingly at Redstar. "what were you going to say before Barenland interupted?" he asked.

"Nothing, I was just going to ask you to go hunting because there isn't much fresh-kill on the pile." This whole story was pretty flimsy as the fresh-kill pile was overflowing. And Shimmerkit and Berrykit were catching minnows behind the nursery.

"Ok.": Beetlefoot meowedd, deciding to wait until later. He knew Redstar well, and she couldn't keep a secret for long.

Ivystorm padded over to Redstar. "you're going to have to tell him at some point." She hissed under her breath.

"I know, but I've broken the warrior code in so many ways." Redstar meowed, almost bursting into tears. "It's my fault StarClan hates RiverClan, because they hate me. Because I'm in love with a ThunderClan cat , I am expecting half-clan kits, and I was leader far too young!"

Ivystorm looked around, making sure no cats were listening. then she motioned towards Redstar's den. "I have a secret to tell you." They padded into the den and they sat down. Ivystorm whispered quietly to her sister, "I was made a medicien cat sooner than I was supposed to. Tallears gave me my name early because he wanted to leave and become a loner. Which he did, and That was why I said he was killed. I figured it would be better to remember him as a noble cat instead of a cat running away."

"really?" Redstar asked, her ears prickling in surprise. "Why?"

"He wouldn't explain." Ivystorm sighed. "And, you know... the Secret?"

"yes?" Redstar meowed.

"the only cats that know are Tallears, if he's still alive, and Flowerglow. Whitecloud doesn't even know." Ivystorm meowed. "and I need to tell you of one more thing, Larchstar's last moments....

Larchstar lay weak and dying on the shore of the river. Ivystorm was running back and fourth form the river to Larchstar, for she had to hunt for Larchstar. The problem wiith Hailcough, the infection goes from a chest infection to chest, belly and intestines infection. that means that there is little time in between eating and throwing up the food, as the body hasitly and vainly tries to get rid of the infection.

"Larchstar, I can't keep honey-coating it. I'm afriad you're going to travel to StarClan." Ivystorm meowed. the morning was wet and foggy, the grass around them were soaked with dew and the ivy plants around Larchstar's makeshift sickbed were rustling aggressivly, as though they were what was killing Larchstar.

Larchstar nodded weakliy. "I know, I have known. I've been flickering between StarClan and RiverClan for a long time. It's time I make the final journey."

"I'm sorry you had to die, Larchstar." Ivystorm meowed.

Larchstar suddenly looked stern and slammed his paw down on the ground, but he was so weak he barely set his paw down instead of trowing it down. "Never apoligize for something out of your power!" he snapped. "You have nothing to do with my illness. not even the best Medicine Cat could heal me. Never apoligize for somethign you can't control."

"Of course, you were a wise leader." Ivystorm nodded.

"Redfur will be great as a leader. Starclan has big plans for her, that's why they took me so early, they needed Redfur to become Redstar. She will appoint a new deputy, a great deputy. she will live through good times and bad times. She will hurt when one of her clan hurts, she will laugh when one of her clan laughs. she will fight like a lion, she will be proud like a leopard, and will be sly like a tiger. She will be a true leader of RiverClan, the best leader RiverClan has ever had. She will give all her nine lives for her clan, and no cat will doubt her. In years to come, cats of all the Clans will rembmer the name Redstar."

Redstar's face was soaked with tears by the time Ivystorm had finished. "Oh, Ivy!" she cried. she ran over to her sister and leaned against her, legs suddenly weak. Ivystorm had tears in her eyes too.

"Redstar, It's too much." Ivystorm meowed. "It's too much to deal with."

Redstar was padding alongside Beetlefoot, Ivoryclaw, and Leafpaw. Leafpaw was sniffing the air. "I smell Juniper berries and Chervil." She meowed, running off.

"Go with her." Redstar ordered Ivoryclaw. Ivoryclaw padded away, and Redstar stopped dead. Beetlefoot stopped dead a few tail-lengths ahead of her, then padded backwards so he was standing nex to her.

"What?" he asked, worridly.

"I-I'm expecting kits." redstar meowed hurridly. "Your kits."

This alraming statement took a full two minutes to sink into Beetlefoot's brain. "But, I'm ThunderClan... you.. Riverclan..leader...kits...me...ThunderClan...But surely it's forbidden!"

Chapter 17: Lives are lost

Ivystorm padded along to the moonstone with Leafpaw. they were padding through the mothermouth. They were late, and found the other medicine cats already waiting for them.

"Ah, the infamous Ivystorm shows her whiskers." Mudbelly meowed.

"Now, now. Mudbelly, she has a ceremony to complete." Pandafur meowed.

Ivystorm padded up to the Moonstone and meowed, "I present this apprentice to Starclan. She has worked hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat. Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the Medicine Cat Code(? I forget the whole ceremony) until the day you join StarClan?"

"I do." Meowed Leafpaw, triying not to wiggle with excitment.

"Then, before StarClan, I give you the name Leafpelt."

"Leafpelt! Leafpelt!" The other medicine cats cheered. Leafpelt stuck her chest out proudly.

"You are so lucky" Pandafur meowed, his white and black fur shining in the moonlight that was lighting the moonstone. "We are having trouble in WindClan with our herb supply. We are wasting so much binding for wounds, as the warriors keep sneaking away to hunt when i am not paying attention, and they lose them. I tell them not to, but they have no respect for their medicine cat."

"Well, maybe you should use some Vi-" Leafpelt started, but Ivystorm cut her off.

"you should look by the gorge for extra bindings, i saw some on the WindClan side under a ledge. But that is a last resort as it may be dangerous to retrive them. If you become too helpless, Leafpelt and I are willing to let you use some of our bindings." as Ivystorm meowed it, she flicked her tail across Leafpelt's muzzle. After the other cats had laid down for their dreams, Ivystorm whispered in her ear, "Redstar would not find it wise to give away our only advantage. The Violet Stone is our secret, as RiverClan is the weakest of the clans."

Ivystorm lay down next to Leafpelt, and was off to Starclan for dreams.

She found herself in the middle of a beautiful, glowing, green forest with sunlight shining through the trees. this seemd like ThunderClan's part of StarClan, and Ivystorm wondered what she was doing here. she turned and around to find herself at Sunningrocks, and the river trickled nearby. It was quieter than usual, but this meant nothign to the overall dream.

Ivystorm padded over to the river and drank from teh water, as her throat was suddeny parched. she stood, the river rushing softly around her paws, and her snow-white muzzle in the clear blue water. the first drink, sweet as honey, the same with the second, but the third suddenly tasted horrid. Ivystorm flicked open her eyes and pulled her muzzle out of the water, which had somehow turned into blood. She looked across the river and saw fur flying and claws slicing, but could not make out any cats.

Eagermind padded over to Ivystorm, stearing clear of the bloody water. Ivystorm jumped out of the bloody river, choked by the terrible smell of blood and death. Eagermind padded over to he calmly, blinking slowly. "Two clans will fight, none will win, two will die, and blood will run in the river."

Redstar heard a terrible niose. It was a screech, a painful screech. Dark ness filled her vision and her heart started pounding. then the screech came again, and she saw a spurt of blood flash past her nose. then the darkness cleared and she saw some cat on the ground, dying. Her! she was lying on the ground, blood dripping from a wound.

"Once the red color of blood is gone, the yellow will follow and light will shine on the clans once again." whispered a voice in her ear.

"does that mena i'll have to die?1" she asked the vioce. then she saw Orangefoot appear next to her.

"I cannot reveal that to you, Redstar." Orangefoot meowed.

"If I do die, please tell me my kits will be born first, please!"

Orangefot shok her head. "I'm so sorry, Redstar, but if you do die, your kits will die too."

then Redstar sat up with a jolt. She must not tell anybody.

Redstar was padding around and around in circles, anxiously. Then Beetlefoot emerged through the ferns. "Come on!" Redstar meowed. She had a bad feeling baout today. Ivystorm and Leafpelt were asleep, after returning late form the Moonstone last night. Frenzybird, Barenland, and Patchfoot were waiting next to Redstar. They were just going on a normal patrol, hunting patrol, but Redstar still had a bad feeling.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" beetlefoot meowed. "How are you, though?" he whispered to Redstar as he padded next to her.

Redstar filnched. "I'm fine, I'm not due for a long time, still."

"ok." Beetlefoot padded forward, so he could choose where to hunt on the land. Redstar lead Frenzybird adn Barenland over to the river, while Beetlefoot lead Patchfoot over to a mouse hollow.

"Let's fish in the deep end of the river." Frenzybird suggested, stretching his legs out behind him until they quivered. "I need a good swim."

"Good idea." replied Redstar, and they swam to the part of the river where they could still touch the bottom with their head barely bobbing out of the water. Redtar waited for some shadows, then pushed off with her backlegs, diving quickly under water after a huge trout. She dragged the fish onto land and kille dit. She hid it by a bush then turned arund and padded back into the water. she waded a little farther away from the original fishing spot. She saw Barenland ducking underwater and frenzybird struggling with another trout and dragging it to shore.

Redstar turned back to water to find the ThunderClan medicine cat, Sunblade, swimming across the river akwardly. She padded slowly over to Frenzybird and Barenland and flicked her tail for them to remain quiet. She ducked mostly under water, her nose and eye remaining above water so she could watch and breath, frenzybird and Barenland doing the same.

Sunblade reached the othe rside, licked the water from her fur, and padded slowly along the riverbed. She sniffed the air, and found the pile of fish. She stared at it for a moment, hunger in her eyes. She looked as though she would steal the fish, and she run her tail around her slim belly. Frenzybird tensed next to Redstar, but she put her paw in front of the warrior to stop him. Sunblade, after a long moment staring at the fish, turned and padded away. No matter hwo hungry she was, she wouldn't steal another clan's prey.

"Com on." Redstar whispered, and softly stalked after Sunblade, wondering what she was after. After they followed her for awhile, they found Sunblade picking up some branches of catmint. Sunblade tookt he catmint and swam out into them river, and into thunderclan territory. Redstar let her go, and went back to hunting.

She heard barking. she froze, and saw a dog coming right for her. she spun toward Frenzybird and Barenland. "Run!" she hissed, then, before she could blink, she was picked up and tossed into the river by the dog. she felt pain rip into her side, and saw her blood run into the river. The river swept her away quickly, and she had no strength left to swim. "I will not be defeated so easily." she meowed, but she was under water so all that came out were bubbles.

She fell unconsious. She appeared in StarClan, and saw her image in StarClan grow a bit clearer. "Life 8 and 7." said Larchstar, not far away. "You may lose a third, or even a fourth. I'm afraid that scar will leave a big mark, and StarClan won't be able to heal it much."

"What?!" Redstar exclaimed. "Only 4 lives left? Because of a dumb dog?"

"Your life won't be the only one lost." Larchstar said. Sure enough, Barenland appeared in StarClan only a few moments later.

"No, not Barenland." redstar whispered.

"your body is washing ashore, It's time for you to wake up." Orangefoot said. Adn Redstar got whisked away to life again.

Redstar woke, still stiff and pained. She had lost four lives, alright. She felt so flimsy. She noticed Frenzybird had chased the dog away,a nd was crying beside the body of Barenland. She sighed and padded over to him. "I think It's time we took him and our prey back to camp." the sad moment was emphasized by the fogginess of the day and tiny spurts of rain as they carried the dead deputy back to camp.

Chapter 18: a Bout of coughs

Ivystorm woke to the sound of coughing from the Warriors' Den. She blinked open her eyes and heard Whitecloud pad into her den, coughing terribly. "I think me and Moonshine have a cold or cough of some sort." He said. Moonshine padded in behind him.

"Spotfur's coughing too." she meowed in between coughs.

"Just what we need." Ivystorm sighed. She examined Moonshine and Whitecloud, then told them to lay down. "It's just Whitecough. you should be fine in about a week."

"I'd better be able to go to the Gathering. I can't wait to go." Moonshine meowed. "It's a chance to fin dout if any other clan has been suffering as bad as we have."

"I know." Ivystorm sighed. "And I think ThunderClan must be sufferning plenty. Sunblade told me that Yellowstar never named anothe rdeputy after Beetlefoot. He thinks all his deputies will betray him like Rainstorm and Beetlefoot did."

"I'll get Spotfur." Leafpelt meowed, having awoken. "I just hope this cough won't devlop into a problem."

the cough developed into a problem. The next day, Softfoot and Sharptalon were coughing. the day after, it developed into a serious cough. Nothing Ivystorm or Leafpelt did was helping them. When It turned to Greencough, Ivystorm started to panic. She was mostly afraid of losing her father, she had already lost her mother and was only holding onto her father by a thread.

"I'm afraid that Whitecloud won't make it through this." she confided in Redstar. "He's so old, and his case is so serious."

"I just hope this cough doesn't spread." redstar sighed. they were padding next to the river, and watching the water drip onto the water. It was still a terrible foggy day, with spurts of rain here and there. It had been liek that for about two moons.

"Frenzybird is a great deputy." Ivystorm meowed as they padded on. "He's been great."

"I know, that's why i choose him." redstar meowed.

"He will make a great leader some day, but I hope he never gets to more than deputy." Ivystorm meowed, pressing her fur against her sister's. "Because I never want you to die. I know you only have four lives left, and that you're keeping it secret to aviod worrying the clan."

Redstar nodded silently, padding on.

Ivystorm woke to the sound of weak coughing. She lifted her head and saw the faint outline of Redstar padding into the den. The medicien cat rose to her paws and left her den to meet her sister. "I heard her coughing." came a second voice, and Ivystorm turned around to see frenzybird following his leader. "So I made her come to you."

"I fine." Redstar meowed, fighting to keep the rasp from her voice.

Ivystorm gave a doubtful grunt and turne dot retrive herbs, but Redstar pinned her tail down. "don't go wasting herbs on me, Ivystorm." Redstar snapped. "I'm not even that sick, and half the clan has a cough now."

"You have to at least let me give you honey to soothe your throat." Ivystorm sighed, weary of her sister's stubborness.

"Fine." Redstar huffed. Ivystorm padded off to get the honey and came back to find Redstar, curled next to Whitecloud with her fur pressing against his. When Ivystorm sat next to her sister, Redstar blinked up at her, grief in her eyes. "He's too weak to cough now."

"I know." Ivystorm sighed, placing a paw on hehr father's flank, noticing how hard his breathing was. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to save him."

Redstar pressed her muzzle in Whitecloud's ear and murmured softly, "I love you, father." Whitecloud twitched, as though he had heard, then settled back down into his hard breathing sleep.

Ivystorm gave Redstar the honey then went back to her den, praying to starClan that she wouldn't lose the whole clan in this sickness.

Ivystorm awoke a few sunrises later, sitting in the middle of the clearing. She stood, hoping no cat saw her fall asleep. She sighed at the sight of her father's body on the ground, and padded away to comfort Redstar.

Redstar padded to the Gathering with Ivystorm at her heels and Frenzybird at her side. The ginger tom was whispering in her ear, asking what they would be annoucing at the Gathering. "The sickeness is almost gone from our clan." Redstar rasped, her cough not fully gone yet. "And the warriors I have brought aren't sick. They shouldn't sense any weakness."

"what about you?" Frenzybird asked. "they could tell you're close to kitting, and they'll think we're weak if our leader is going to be in th enursery suckling kits.

"If they mention it, Ill have to think of soemthign to say." Redstar meowed, her tail curling over her fat belly. Ivystorm had halfheartedly told her to go to the nursery and left Frenzybird be leader until her kits were born, but Redstar refused to listen to her.

Redstar flicked her tail and the clan poured down into the clearing at fourtrees. Redstar leaped up on the rock and watched the clans below.

"Ah, now the RiverClan has finally decided to show their pelts," Yellowstar snarled, "we may begin."

"I will speak first." Meowed Redstar. "We don't have much to report, many died in a bout of coughs, but we have recovered nicely."

"I doesn't sound like it. your voice is as raspy as an elder's." Silverstar, the ShadowClan leader, meowed. "You don't even look well enough to be at a gAtheirng."

"I am fine." Redstar rasped, blinking in annoyance. "Frenzybird is our new deputy."

"Frenzybir! Frenzybird!" echoed around the clearing.

"Are the Riverclan Leaders finished?" Yellowstar asked, a mocking tone in his voice.

"What do you mean leaders?" Redstar asked, narrowing her eyes.

"How are we to expect that RiverClan is strong if their leader is carrying kits?" Yellowstar sneered.

Redstar hissed at the golden tom, but Silverstar stepped in between them. "go on, Yellowstar." the silver tom meowed, dipping his head.

Yellowstar started his report. "One of our apprentices has becoe a warrior, Featherpelt."

"Featherpelt Featherpelt!"

"However, we have extra mouths to feed." Yellowstar continued. "There are new kits in the nursery, and we have barely any territory, so we demand to fish in the river and to have the stretch of land between our territory and the river."

Chapter 19: Fight for Territory

"That's to close to our camp!" Frenzybird hissed.

"Does he expect us just to give him a stretch of land that big?" Moonpebble asked Gobblemouth.

"He can't!" Gobblemouth protested.

"you seriously expect RiverClan just to give you half their territory?!" Redstar hissed.

"Well, we will move our scent markers. If we scent so much as a RiverClan paw in that territory we will fight for it." Yellowstar meowed.

"If you so much as think about moving the border, we'll slice your fur off and you'll have to change your name to Baldstar!" redstar hissed.

The clearing was thrown into darkness as a cloud covered the moon.

"The Gathering is over!" Silverstar called as they went silent. The cats all leaped from the great rock and led their clan back to their territory.

Redstar jumped up onto the highrock and called a clan meeting. Once the cats had gathered, they knew something was wrong because Redstar and Frenzybird's fur was bristled. "Yellowstar demands part of our terriotry!" Redstar announced. She waited until the protests died down then continued, "I know we are still weak after the sickness, but we have enough strong warriors to beat him. I want all newest warriors to to train with senior warriors to get better at fighting moves, and I even want Ivystorm and Leafpelt battling like warriors!"

"Why?" Leafpelt asked, pushing her way through the crowd of cats.

"We never know who we'll need to fight, coughs are unpredictable." Redstar flicked her tail to dismiss the clan then went to jump off the highrock. Just as she was about to leap, her legs collapsed and she fell into a fit of coughing. This resulted in her rolling down the rock head over tail and landed in a heap of red tabby fur.

"Are you okay, Redstar?" Frenzybird asked. He rushed over to her and picked her up by the scruff, helping her to her paws. Redstar looked up at him, then feel to the ground again in another coughing fit.

"Redstar!" Ivystorm exclaimed. He ran over to Redstar, knocking Frenzybird away.

"I'm fine." Redstar meowed, struggling to her feet.

"You've got to at least let me give you some catmint." Ivystorm insisted.

Redstar's head snapped up. "Didn't you say you didn't have much catmint left?"

"I could send Leafpelt out to get some from the other side of Windclan territory."

"You aren't going to waste herbs on me!" Redstar snapped.

"If we're about to go into battle, we can't have a sick leader!" Ivystorm snapped back at her.

Redstar sighed. "Fine, but if any cat needs catmint, I'm going out myself to get more." the reddish she-cat turned and padded into her den, stifling more coughs.

Ivystorm padded over to Leafpelt, who was waiting in the Medicine Cat Den. "She's asleep, now you may go." Ivystorm meowed.

Leafpelt stood and stretched, front legs first, then back legs. Then she turned her green eyes on Ivystorm and gave her mentor a serious look. "Redstar won't be happy when she finds out I went for Catmint instead of her."

Ivystorm shook her head with stress. "She's in no state to be traveling across WindClan territory, but she won't listen."

"Oh well." Leafpelt sighed. She turned and padded out of the Medicien cat Den, leaving Ivystorm to her thoughts.

Ivystorm blinked and sighed again. "Has RiverClan ever faced worse times?"

Chapter 20: Darkness, When All Seems Hopeless

Coming Soon

Chapter 21: Dawn, When the Storm Clouds Clear

Coming soon

Epilouge

Coming Soon