Darkkit stood alone at the base of the Meeting Rock, with every cat and fox staring right at him. He longed so much to curl into Firefox's fur right at that moment. He was lost. His parents were banished, Firefox was dead. He hung his head, staring down at his paws. 

"What are we going to do about Darkkit now? He was the one who led Firefox there in the first place." Stormhawk growled, breaking up the silence. 

Darkkit's fur bristled, then suddenly went flat. He was the one who suggested that Firefox take him there. 

Wolfpaw stalked up to his side, his claws out and his fur fluffed out in anger. Darkkit stared at him. 

"Don't ever say that it was his fault! It wasn't!" Wolfpaw snarled, baring his teeth at the deputy. 

Stormhawk's claws slid out.

"I'm the deputy here. I can say what I want. Who are you to tell me what to do? You're nothing but a weak, little apprentice." He snarled. 

Wolfpaw sprang at Stormhawk, knocking him to the ground. Stormhawk let out a snarl and slashed his unsheathed claws across Wolfpaw's eye, splattering blood on Wolfpaw's dark gray fur. Wolfpaw leaped away and hissed, blinking his blood out of his eye. 

Stormhawk smiled triumphantly, his claws now tipped red. 

Wolfpaw crouched down, his teeth clenched in a snarl.

"Wolfpaw, Stormhawk! Enough!" Adderstar hissed, jumping down from his perch on the Meeting Rock. Both bristling cats turned to look at their leader. Adderstar stalked over to them and gave them a hard stare. "Wolfpaw, I'm glad you didn't retaliate and claw Stormhawk back, but since you jumped him first you'll be put on elder's duty for a moon."

"He clawed me first!" Wolfpaw argued, his mouth open. 

"Do you want me to make it two moons!?" Adderstar growled. 

Wolfpaw paused, looked down at the ground, and shook his head.

"Good." Adderstar said, nodding. 

"Stormhawk, Medicine den now! You're relieved of your deputyship for a moon for what you did!" Adderstar turned on his deputy, growling.

Stormhawk's mouth gaped open, his eyes showing hurt.

"This is your punishment." Adderstar hissed, digging his claws into the rocky ground. 

Stormhawk sent a glare in the direction of Wolfpaw and Darkkit, before swiftly turning around and running into the Medicine burrow.

Chestnutstar cleared his throat. 

"I think it is time we left your territory and returned to ours." He explained, shuffling his paws.

Adderstar nodded. 

"I'll have one of my warriors escort you." Adderstar nodded at one of the FoxClan warriors near the front of the crowd. The warrior padded over to where Chestnutstar and Thistleheart were standing. 

"Come on. I'll escort you to the border." The cat meowed and led the two cats out of FoxClan's camp.

After they were gone, Adderstar padded up to Wolfpaw and Darkkit. 

"You two better get to the Medicine burrow. Especially you Darkkit, we don't that chest wound getting infected." Adderstar meowed softly. The FoxClan leader straightened back up and waved with his tail for the Clan to disperse. 

Darkkit started walking toward the Medicine burrow but realized that Wolfpaw wasn't following him. He turned around and saw the muscular gray apprentice standing stiff, glaring in the direction of the Medicine burrow. Darkkit frowned and padded back over. He butted Wolfpaw in the chest, Wolfpaw stared down at him, his injured eye squeezed shut. 

"Come on Wolfpaw." Darkkit said. "If Stormhawk attacks us again, this time we can attack together." A smile touched Wolfpaw's face as he touched his muzzle to Darkkit's. 

"Alright." Wolfpaw padded over to the den. 

Darkkit padded after him.

The ground sloped down as the two friends walked down into the den.

Stormhawk sat in a nest made of bracken, grooming himself. He looked up as they entered. Stormhawk's amber gaze burned as he glared at the both of them. Wolfpaw and Darkkit exchanged a mock scared glance and covered their laughter as they walked over to the medicine cat. FoxClan's medicine cat was a feathery white she-cat with brown eyes, her name was Swanfeather.

"Hey Swanfeather, we-"

"I heard." Swanfeather dropped a bundle of herbs in front of them. 

"Attacking the clan deputy in the middle of a meeting," She shook her head. "what is the clan going to do with you Wolfpaw." 

Wolfpaw raised an eyebrow as Swanfeather plastered some chewed up goldenrod pulp on his eye wound. After she had put some marigold pulp and cobwebs on Wolfpaw's wound, she moved onto Darkkit. She gently pressed her paw against the wound on his chest. Darkkit winced, all the earlier pain rushing back to him. Swanfeather pulled away and grabbed some of her herbs. After she treated Darkkit's wounds, Swanfeather stepped back and gave both cats a smile. 

"You both are free to go, you as well Stormhawk." She flicked her tail toward the sloping entrance. Stormhawk got up immediately and pushed past the kit and apprentice as they started to leave. Darkkit shrugged it off and padded up the small slope, with Wolfpaw following him.

When they were out in the open clearing, Darkkit looked around. Stormhawk had stormed off into the Warrior's burrow and most cats and foxes weren't out in the clearing. Darkkit's eyes landed on Firefox again. He tried to pull his gaze away but he couldn't, he padded over and sat down, staring at her beautiful face. Crimsonclaw was there too, his face showing sadness as he too gazed down at Firefox.

"Adderstar told me that the Clan will hold vigil for her tonight." Crimsonclaw murmured. Darkkit looked up at the sky, the sun was just starting to dip down toward the horizon.

"Okay." He replied, wrapping his tail over his front paws. "Who's temporary deputy?" Darkkit asked after a moment, his curiosity bubbling inside of him.

Crimsonclaw glanced up. 

"Me." 

"Wait what!" Darkkit squealed. "You!?" 

Crimsonclaw smiled and nodded. 

"Adderstar thought that I was best suited for the job." He said. 

Darkkit ran over and gaze Crimsonclaw a nuzzle with his nose.

"That's awesome!" Darkkit squealed, his tail swishing back and forth. "Adderstar chose well!"

"Why can't you just stay deputy? You wouldn't insult Darkkit in front of the whole clan or claw an apprentice." Wolfpaw muttered.

A small smile touched Crimsonclaw's face. 

"No. No I would not."

Wolfpaw twitched his ears.

Darkkit smiled. 

"You'll be a great deputy Crimsonclaw." 

Crimsonclaw nuzzled him. 

"Thanks. I'm going to assign some patrols now." 

Darkkit jumped to his paws. 

"Can I go on one!" 

The group burst out laughing. 

~~~

At moonhigh the entire clan gathered around the Meeting Rock, the vigil was starting.

"We are here, beneath the spirits of our warrior ancestors, to hold vigil for a wonderful and strong warrior." Adderstar meowed from on top of the stone. "Although Firefox was a fox, she was a FoxClan member nonetheless. She will be missed." Adderstar sighed. " You all can say your goodbyes and those who were close to her may stay out here with her." He leapt down for his place and bounded over to Firefox. He pressed his muzzle against her fur and murmured a few incoherent words. Adderstar straightened up and went into his burrow.  

Most of the Clan went into their dens for the night. Crimsonclaw, Darkkit, and a few others stayed where they were. Grief choked Darkkit, making it hard for him to breathe. He walked over to where his friend lay motionless, her pelt bathed in moonlight. None of cats or foxes that stayed out moved. He laid down next to Firefox and pressed his pelt against her ice cold, hard, one. Her sweet scent hung around in the air, swirling around Darkkit like mist or smoke.

"You were one of the best friends I ever had... Thank you for everything... I never forget you.." He took in a shaky breath. "I'll continue on living everyday for you Firefox... May you find peace in StarClan..." Darkkit murmured in her ear, he couldn't think of anything else to say. He felt tears run down his face and he closed his eyes. He rested his head on his paws, Darkkit slowly let sleep claim him.

Darkkit blinked his amber eyes open. He sat up abruptly, where in the name of StarClan was he! He blinked in confusion. He was in what looked like FoxClan's territory, but it looked more starry, more mystical, it also had a blueish tint to the whole area. Darkkit glanced around, kneading the starry grass with his front claws. A soft breeze blew a sweet scent toward him. He felt his breath catch in his throat and tears pricked the corners of his eyes. 

"Firefox..." He whispered.

Firefox stepped out into the clearing where he was sitting, her pelt glimmering with stars. Darkkit bounded over to her and buried his head in her chest fur, he clung to her, never wanting to let go.

"Yo-you, I-I...." He stammered, squeezing his eyes shut.

Firefox wound her body around his and twined their tails together. 

"Shh, you don't have to say anything.." She murmured in his ear. 

Darkkit swallowed, pressing closer to her.

"I-I did-didn't think that I would ev-ever see y-you again.." He whispered.

"I know, I know." Firefox replied, running her tail over his back. "I didn't think that I would see you again either." 

Darkkit whimpered. 

"Do you want to talk for awhile?" Firefox asked, tilting his head up to look at her.

Darkkit stayed quiet for a moment then nodded.