Shadepaw sprang forward before Darkpaw could speak. "Snarlfang is right!" he cried, his eyes wide with distress. "Half Moon is here right now! Listen to her!" 

"What do you mean?" a WindClan elder asked. "Who's that?"

"Half Moon is from the ancient Clan! She's here right now! Can't you see her? She's right there, right there!" Shadepaw frantically pointed his tail to a small tree sprouting up from the ground. "Right there!" he wailed. "Can't you see her? This is important!" Quickstar laughed.

"There's no-"

"I see her!" Darkpaw cried. "I see her!" A white she-cat was walking out from behind the tree. "Shadepaw's right!"

"He is," Thinfur agreed. Thinfur?

"You disobeyed my orders!" Fernstar yowled, her eyes tinged with fury. "Go back to camp right now!"

"I only did because we scented badger when we patrolled, and we wanted to warn you. It's on the trail that you usually use to get back from the gatherings. But I see her, I see Half Moon!" Half Moon drew herself up on two paws.

"Thinfur. Rabbitear needs you. She is in danger." She began to dissolve into the air. "StarClan is against you. Snarlfang speaks the truth." Before she completely disappeared, she whispered, "Solve everything. Follow the brightest star..." 

"Wait!" Shadepaw yowled. "Who is that? What star? Why is StarClan against us?" Half Moon's expression saddened, and with a burst of light, she was gone.

"Oh no..." Thinfur staggered a bit. "No, she's safe, she's safe..." Darkpaw suddenly realized that Arrowpaw was watching her. 

"What..." he muttered. "Who's that red warrior? The one sitting with ThunderClan?" Darkpaw looked at him closely. 

"There's no red warrior that hasn't been here before," Darkpaw mewed. "Maybe they're like Half Moon..." Arrowpaw's ears and eyes were intently fixed on a spot of air.

"No," he muttered. "No, they haven't. What's it to you?" Darkpaw flinched before realizing the young tom wasn't talking to her. His eyes briefly widened and he flexed his claws. "That's right," he spat. "Why- Oh. How do you know my name?" He stopped, as if listening. "Huh. Sure. Who are you? Are you from StarClan?" What's happening? It seems interesting, Darkpaw mused. "Why- what... Foxdung," he swore. "She's gone." She? Darkpaw felt an odd jealousy spring inside of her. She ignored it.

"It's a trick!" Rainstar mewed. Coralstar rolled her eyes.

"RiverClan, let's go. And Arrowpaw... Once we're back, tell me about that red she-cat." Arrowpaw's gaze flicked to Darkpaw.

"Sure, Coralstar. Darkpaw," he added quietly, "try to be here at the next gathering." Darkpaw's stomach fluttered.

"O-okay, y-yes, I will..." she stammered as Arrowpaw walked away. He looked at her and nodded.

"Us too," Fernstar snapped. "Darkpaw, Shadepaw and Thinfur, we need to talk. We'll take a different route back. We are in no state to take on a badger." You said you came because you didn't want to sound weak! Liar! Darkpaw thought. 

...

"That's outrageous! You still won't let Shadepaw-" Fernstar flashed her teeth at Tallmeadow. "Fox-heart," she muttered as she left the clearing.

"We weren't lying!" Thinfur hissed. "Half Moon was there!"

"You're kin, and ShadowClan is weak. Maybe you aren't loyal," Fernstar mused. "Maybe you-"

"This is mouse-brained. You clearly aren't going to believe us. Come on, Shadepaw and Thinfur. We should sleep." Darkpaw spat, walking away with unsheathed claws. Thinfur seemed oddly quiet. Who's Rabbitear? Darkpaw wondered to herself. She didn't ask Thinfur; he was probably tired. She placed herself on a bed of moss and closed her eyes, dreaming about StarClan, Half Moon and Arrowpaw.

Darkpaw yawned, waking up. Fernstar's call had woken her early, but she didn't mind. It was a new day, full of new possibilities. "Why d'ya call us?" Badgerleap complained. Fernstar looked at her thoughtfully. 

"It's your news... And mine," she explained. Badgerleap's news? Huh? Darkpaw thought. "Badgerleap is moving to the elder's den," Fernstar announced. "Badgerleap?" The she-cat moved forward.

"I have led a full life as a queen and a warrior," she mewed. "My mate is dead, and the elder's den is empty. I can feel tiredness in my bones and my heart tells me that I have my full right to now turn to the elder's den." There was silence before ShadowClan began to chant, "Badgerleap! Badgerleap!" 

"Where's Thinfur?" Shadepaw asked worriedly. 

"Now, my news," Fernstar rasped. Darkpaw hissed. Badgerleap couldn't even have a proper ceremony? "Thinfur disappeared during the night. His scent trail led to the Dead Tree, where he must've hidden his scent, because it ended there." Darkpaw gasped. What? Thinfur's gone?

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