"What do you mean? Which apprentice? Tell me!" Darkpaw pleaded. Tree simply shook his head and began to fade away. "Wait! You can't tell me only half the story!"

"Think, Darkpaw, think!" Tree yowled. Darkpaw sighed. He was gone. I should find some prey, she decided after a while. Maybe the Dead Tree?... No. The border. She headed off into the distance, her ears pricked. Otter! She thought worriedly. I can't fight one of those! I guess I'll just head back to camp. She turned around and ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Faster! She looked back and breathed deeply; the otter hadn't attacked her. Wait! Is that... SkyClan scent?  She padded deeper into the forest, following the scent.

It only seems like a small patrol. I'll warn them off, she decided. "Stop!" she yowled, catching sight of tabby fur. "This is ShadowClan territory! Leave here now!" 

"An apprentice thinks she can take us?" a grey tom snarled. He was short; surely he wasn't older than her?

"You're an apprentice, too!" Darkpaw spat. She shrunk back. The tabby pelt belonged to a lean warrior.

"Come on, Grassleap," the apprentice mewed. "Let's teach her a lesson. She can't go around threatning two SkyClan cats!" Grassleap narrowed his green eyes.

"You're right, Featherpaw," he hissed. Darkpaw snarled, her fur bristling. Uh oh. A full-grown warrior with his apprentice? I'll surely lose... She shoved her thoughts away as Grassleap's claws sunk into her side. Featherpaw attacked her from behind. I haven't even fully recovered from the last battle! She wailed in her head. She blinked rapidly and dodged another of Grassleap's attacks. Featherpaw bashed into her and she collapsed to the ground. 

"ShadowClan filth!" Grassleap roared, leaping towards her and biting her belly. Darkpaw wreathed with pain, yowling. She finally struggled free, Featherpaw raking a claw across her ear.

"Mrro-o-o-w!" a new voice shrieked. A battle cry? I'm doomed! Darkpaw's eyes nearly burst out of her sockets as Orangepaw, Shadepaw and Treepool burst through the trees. Darkpaw stood up, panting, blood dripping from her.

"Darkpaw!" Shadepaw yowled. "You need-" he was cut off as Grassleap bit his tail.

"Stop! He's a medicine cat!" Darkpaw heaved to yell. "You can't-" Featherpaw snarled and pounced on her back, pinning her to the ground, jaws snapping. Darkpaw let out a shrill wail. "No! StarClan will punish you!" As if they're not already angry at us, Darkpaw thought. Featherpaw's weight was lifted off her back as Orangepaw sliced her claws at him.

"Shadepaw! Get Darkpaw out of here!" she meowed in panic. "Quickly!" Shadepaw had gotten up; Darkpaw was relieved to see that his injury was shallow and misaimed. He began to drag Darkpaw through the woods.

"Wait here," he ordered as they came to the Dead Tree. "I need to get some herbs for you, so that you can get back to camp." Darkpaw nodded limply. 

"Okay," she choked out. He came back with a herb in his jaws and applied it to her wounds.  

"We need to get you to the medicine den," he mewed, beginning to slowly drag her towards camp. As he staggered into the den, Tallmeadow yowled, "Shadepaw! What- I asked you to get poppy seeds! Why did you take so lon- Darkpaw!" Shadepaw said nothing, laying his littermate on some moss.

"I gave her wounds marigold," he explained. "I can do the comfrey root. Her wounds are bad. Two SkyClan cats attacked her." Tallmeadow's eyes flashed darkly.

"Those fox-hearts," she growled. "Can you give me some nettles and poppy seeds? Thank you." Darkpaw closed her eyes tiredly. "Sleep, Darkpaw," Tallmeadow's gentle voice directed. "Your body needs some rest." Darkpaw nodded. She was already drifting off. The world was so far away...

... 

"Darkpaw, wake up," Shadepaw murmured. "Fernstar is calling us." Darkpaw began to get up and Shadepaw gently pushed her down. "No, you can't walk yet. Just listen; you can see from here, yes?" Darkpaw nodded slightly. "Okay. Good." He walked into the clearing. Darkpaw watched as Fernstar began.

"Tonight is the half-moon," she mewed. "And there is lots to discuss within ShadowClan, too. First," she paused, "it is true. SkyClan attacked Darkpaw, in our territory, and gave her severe wounds. Luckily, Orangepaw and Treepool came in time to save her." What about Shadepaw? Darkpaw thought. "Second of all, we need to know if Shadepaw is ready to be-" Fernstar let out a long, slow cough and leaped down from the branch. "If Shadepaw is ready to become a medicine ca-" She let out another bout of coughing. "Cat- Tallmeadow? Be quick." 

"He is," Tallmeadow mewed. Fernstar's eyes went wide with shock. "When Darkpaw was hurt, he gave her herbs and didn't sleep for the whole night, taking care of her. Other than that, he has shown great knowledge of herbs." Fernstar gave Shadepaw a steel glare.

"Well then," she coughed again. 

"You need herbs! You have greencough!" Tallmeadow shouted. Darkpaw froze. When had Fernstar's whitecough grown deadly?

"Nonsense! Let me finish!" Fernstar ordered.

"But I-"

"Be quiet! Shadepaw will become a medicine here and now, in front of everyone else, and I will announce his name." She doubled over, her eyes glazing over. 

"Fernstar! You need medical treatment, and his mentor must perform the cerem-"

"No, I don't! And I will perform the ceremony!" 

"Mousedung!" the medicine cat yowled. "It is my duty to-"

"Right now," Fernstar added. "So Shadepaw is ready to be a medicine cat... The Dark Forest blesses him as one." No! How dare you! Darkpaw thought treacherously. "He will from now on be known as-" Fernstar fell to the ground, her sides heaving, and she rasped, "Shadeflight!"

What do you think? Will Shadeflight keep his name? Will Fernstar die? What will happen next? What does the prophecy mean? (This is just to keep you on a cliffhanger...)

-Shadowstorm