"I'm Ravenpaw," Ravenpaw mewed confidently. "This is Amberpaw," she flicked her tail at the light ginger she-cat, "And this is Ebonypaw." Ebonypaw dipped her head respectfully.

"We're sorry if we're intruding," Ebonypaw said. "But we're on a very important quest that we can't delay."

"Oh, you're doing more than intruding," a black tom with yellow eyes sneered. "I'm Dark, and I lead RevengeClan."

"RevengeClan?" Ravenpaw echoed.

"Are you from those lake Clans?" a black she-cat questioned. "I'm Ruthless."

Amberpaw nodded.

"Have you ever seen a she-cat by the name of Spark?" Dark leaned forward.

"I think she lived in ThunderClan for a few moons before leaving." Ebonypaw tilted her head. "Why?"

"She used to be in our Clan, but the lake Clans captured her when we joined DarkClan." Ruthless explained. "Now, our goal is to get revenge for Demonclaw. We must kill Echoflight."

Echoflight? She's a warrior of ThunderClan! By the looks on Amberpaw and Ebonypaw's faces, they had come to the same realization. This group of rogues were the cats who had fought against the lake Clans in the Final Battle.

"Good for you. Now, can we pass?" Amberpaw growled.

"I'm sorry, but we don't allow Clan trespassers." Dark purred smoothly. "Ruthless, Razor, Nightfire, finish them off and meet us back in our camp."

Ravenpaw took a step back, looking warily at their attackers.

Ebonypaw was glaring at them. "Nightfire? Were you a Clan cat once?"

A black she-cat nodded. "My Clan exiled me. I used to be WindClan."

"I'm WindClan!" Ravenpaw exclaimed.

Wrong move.

Nightfire hissed and sprang at her. "I vowed to kill all the WindClan cats! I'll start with you!"

Ravenpaw yelped and dodged, quickly raking her claws down Nightfire's side.

Apparently, this was the signal to attack, since Amberpaw sprang forward with a yowl and faced off with Ruthless, leaving the orange tabby tom, Razor, for Ebonypaw.

Nightfire took advantage of Ravenpaw's lack of attention and jumped onto her back. She buckled under the weight of the older cat and yowled out desperately. "Look, I don't want to fight. I'm a medicine cat!"

Nightfire paused but didn't let up. "I don't care! I hate that Clan!" She prepared to bite down on Ravenpaw's neck.

"Help!" Ravenpaw cried.

Ebonypaw quickly scrambled off Razor and bounded over to her, lashing out with her claws. Nightfire retaliated by jabbing her claws at Ebonypaw's eyes. A flash of light ginger fur blocked her vision and Ravenpaw flinched.

Thank StarClan!

Amberpaw batted Nightfire off and the RevengeClan cat got to her paws angrily. "I'll be back!" she hissed before running into the darker parts of the forest.

Ravenpaw looked around. Razor and Ruthless had already backed off.

"We should rest," Ebonypaw suggested. "I'll take the first watch. Also, Amberpaw, that was some pretty impressive fighting,"

"Thanks," Amberpaw yawned. "I'll take the next watch." They turned to Ravenpaw, but she was already asleep.

"Open your eyes." A gentle voice mewed.

Ravenpaw jumped up and opened her eyes. Ravenwing was back! She let out a loud purr.

"Ravenwing, don't give out too much information," a gray tabby warned.

"I won't," Ravenwing promised. He turned to Ravenpaw. "Congratulations. You've almost finished the quest."

"What must I do?" Ravenpaw mewed desperately.

"You must kill Dark." He met her gaze levelly. "He's a threat to the Clans."

"I can't!" Ravenpaw protested. "I've never killed a cat before! I'm a medicine cat, for StarClan's sake!"

"I would give a few mousetails for things to be different, but this is your destiny." Ravenwing looked away. "Amberpaw and Ebonypaw have different paths set for them."

"I can't." Ravenpaw said quietly.

Ravenwing spun around, fire blazing in his eyes. "Let me show you what will happen if you don't kill Dark."

Ravenpaw blinked to see a battlefield. She moved forward, horrified, and felt water pulling her down. Looking down, she realized it was blood. She was standing in a pool of blood. Ravenpaw searched for the source, and saw Crowstar, Luckystar, Hailstar, Rowanstar, Ebonypaw and Amberpaw dead.

"No!" she wailed. Blinking again, she was back in the comforting darkness of her dream.

"Do you believe me now?" Ravenwing murmured softly.

"I'll do it." Ravenpaw trembled. "I don't want them to die."

Ravenwing blinked reassuringly at her. "They won't, as long as Dark dies."

Ravenpaw closed her eyes and opened them to see Amberpaw crouched over her. "Go on watch, I need some sleep," Amberpaw muttered.

"No, wait. Wake Ebonypaw up. I had another vision." Ravenpaw insisted.

Amberpaw nodded sleepily and lumbered over to where Ebonypaw was curled up.

Soon, Ravenpaw had told them about the plan. "So, this is how we'll do it."

Ravenpaw grinned mischievously and Ebonypaw nodded happily. "Sounds like a plan."

---

"Oh no!" Ravenpaw called out. "Amberpaw's hurt! Please, RevengeClan, help us!"

She looked up to where Ebonypaw was perched up on a tree, and Amberpaw was crouched pitifully on the ground.

Soon enough, a patrol came. Dark, Ruthless and a tom she didn't know were on it.

"What are you doing here?" Dark hissed. "I've already told you this is our territory."

"Amberpaw's hurt!" Ravenpaw growled. "Please, share your herbs with us."

"Get Water." Dark growled at Ruthless. "Flash, get some reinforcements just in case. I'll stay with them."

Ravenpaw gave a small nod which was the signal. Ebonypaw dropped down from the tree and Amberpaw stood up.

"Time for you to die, Dark." Ravenpaw mewed boldly.

"A medicine cat won't be able to kill me," Dark sneered. He was cut off by Ravenpaw jumping on him, pummeling his chest with her back legs and clawing at his face with her forepaws. She battered at his scarred pelt and ripped open an old wound, probably from the Final Battle. Dark howled in pain and went for her throat.

Ravenpaw ducked and dug her claws sharper into his throat, drawing blood. Dark grunted and kicked out with his legs. Ravenpaw fell off and as quick as a fox, Dark pushed down on her throat with sheathed claws.

"Give up yet?" he taunted.

Ravenpaw saw an opening, and feinted to his right, but instead slithered out on his left side. Dark roared in fury and to her horror, reinforcements had arrived. She had to end this, fast. Ravenpaw let out a yowl and launched herself into the air. Dark didn't have time to prepare himself for her weight and she and Dark both rolled over and over. Ravenpaw bit and clawed anything she could touch, and she knew Dark was doing the same.

Ravenpaw found her teeth piercing his neck fur and she growled. "I'm sorry for this, Dark, but it's my destiny."

Then she plunged her teeth in.