"Lionstar! Lionstar! Come quickly!" A ecstatic voice screeched.

The golden tom leaped out of his nest, and raced out of the den. He desperately scanned the camp for where the voice had come from.

"Over here!" The she-cat yelled.

Lionstar whipped around to see a dappled queen standing over the lifeless body of an apprentice.

Lionstar gasped and ran over to her, "What happened?"

By now, most of the clan had gathered, taking in the scene with wide eyes.

The shaken queen let out a sob, "He had just gotten back from a hunting patrol, complaining of his belly hurting, "The queen let out another sob, then continued, "I told him to go see Frostshine, and he said he would. He was on his way to the medicine den when he collapsed!"

A white furred she-cat pelted towards the commotion with a bundle of herbs in her mouth. She dropped them on the ground, then bent down next to the unmoving apprentice.

She took a deep breath, then looked up to her clan, sorrow glittering in her eyes. She looked at the queen, "Berrysplash, he's dead."

The gray queen let out a wail and buried her nose in her son's cold fur.

Lionstar felt grief claw at his heart. This wasn't the only victim lost to the deadly fresh-kill. His own deputy, Jayflight, had died as well. Not to mention, two elders, a queen, and three warriors.

He himself had already lost a life!

"My clan is falling apart and there's nothing I can do!" Lionstar thought despairingly.

He licked Berrysplash's ear, "We will sit vigil tonight."

Without waiting for a response, Lionstar slowly padded towards his den. His paws felt heavy with worry. His clan would surely all die; especially in leafbare!

"The only prey around here is poisoned. We've done everything we can to find the cause. The only solution is, besides death, is-" Lionstar ended his murmuring abruptly.

"The only solution is to leave." A voice seemed to echo.

Lionstar shook his head. Skyclan couldn't leave gorge! They had worked so hard to find it and fight for it! And not only that, they had already moved their clan before, ending in destruction. If it hadn't been rebuilt, then there would be no Skyclan!

"We have to stay! We must." He muttered under his breath.

Pawsteps sounded on the cave floor, "Lionstar, I need to speak with you."

Lionstar flicked his tail, "Yes, yes of course. Come on in, Frostshine."

The beautiful medicine cat padded in and sat down next to her leader, "I, I think that we need to consider what to do about this. We can't just wait around, seeing which piece of fresh-kill will be our last!" Frostshine stood up and lashed her tail, "We have to help our clan, it's our duty!"

Lionstar started to get angry, "There's nothing we can do!"

Frostshine hissed, "There's always something we can do! If we don't do something, who will?"

Lionstar softened his voice, not wanting anyone but the medicine cat to hear, "Frostshine, what if Skyclan's destiny is to just die off? Fade away, like we never even existed?"

Frostshine let out a snarl, "If that is our clan's destiny, then I will not accept it! Starclan would never let that happen."

Lionstar leapt to his paws, "They let it happen before! How do you think we ended up in the gorge?"

Frostshine got a pleading note in her voice, "But ending up in the gorge is our destiny. And if Starclan's plan is to have us leave, then so be it."

Lionstar let out a growl,"I'm the leader, Frostshine. Let me make the decisions."

Frostshine's neck fur began to rise. She shook her head angrily, then stomped out of the den.

Lionstar let out a small sigh, then rested his head on his paws. He let his eyes close, as he thought about what to do about his dying clan.

...~...~...~...

Lionstar snapped his eyes open. He felt the presence of the stars. He stared around his den until he laid eyes upon a brownish she-cat with stars in her fur. A grey and white tom stood there with her.

"Greetings Lionstar." The she-cat meowed.

Lionstar dipped his head in greeting. I wonder why they are here?

"We are here to give you a warning." The grey tom mewed gravely.

Lionstar looked at the two Starclan cats. He had to find out their warning!

"Darkness has awakened. Darkness that will destroy. The only hope you have, is to unite once again." The two cats said in unison.

Lionstar backed away, "Wh- What do you mean?"

The she-cat stepped forward, "Lionstar, Skyclan's destiny will not be fulfilled in the gorge."