"We have to go over the mountains," Grassfang mewed. Darkstorm nodded, absent-minded, staring at the towering peaks.

"There'll be eagles. As food and danger," Yowltail added. "Hopefully the Tribe of Rushing Water will help us." Darkstorm nodded once again.

"DarkClan," she mewed authoritatively. It's been hard since Featherheart and Beechleap died, but we have to stay strong." She closed her eyes before continuing. "Shellstripe. are your kits ready? I know they haven't even been named yet, but are they?" Shellstripe looked at her worriedly.

"They're ready, yes, but only as much as they can be. We've been moving slowly; it's only been a quarter-moon since we parted with the clans, and two sunrises since they were born!" Her mew turned to a wail. That's true, only one has opened his eyes! The thick-furred grey tom had light amber eyes, and the white she-kit hadn't opened hers. She was much weaker, and her littermate seemed to push her around; Darkstorm was worried.

"Mosstail, you and Amberflight help the kits. Grassfang, you help Coralst-fall," she corrected herself, "and Badgerleap, stay with Orangetail and Snarlfang." The elder snorted.

"I don't need protection. More like my kit does. Orangetail won't be able to defend herself from eagles."

"Badgerleap!" Orangetail snapped, embarrassed. This caused a ripple of good-natured laughter. Darkstorm snorted, too, as Orangetail tripped on a rock. "Uh..." she burst into laughter, and the cats began to share silly stories as they walked.

"They're hanging on," Thorntail mewed. "That's good." Darkstorm nodded. 

"Everyone, we're going to begin the climb. Comfreytail, can you help Shadeflight?" Shadeflight ducked his head as Comfreytail agreed, and DarkClan started to climb. Shadeflight yelped, tripping a bit, and Comfreytail pushed him up; Shellstripe carried her she-kit, Mosstail following in case she fell, and Amberflight beside, carrying the heavier kit. Darkstorm, so focused on making sure the others were safe, lost her footing. Thorntail grabbed her scruff, and she blinked gratefully.

"Thanks," she gritted her teeth as the wind blew by them, digging her claws in deeper. We'll change the code. We'll be allowed to have cross-clan relationships, and medicine cats will be able to have kits. Elders will be treated with more respect, and queens will eat before anyone, so that their kits are healthy. She continued thinking abiut the new code, turning it into a mantra, as she inched higher. Leaders will be able to be friends with other leaders, and they won't have to fight as mu-

"Amberflight!" Mosstail screeched, digging his claws in her scruff. "I can't carry you and the kit!" The other cats, struggling as they were, stared back helplessly. Amberflight was slipping away, her feet scrabbling to find a foothold. Just before she fell, she tossed the kit to Mosstail.

"What happened?" Shadeflight demanded as Amberflight's screech echoed through their ears, carried on the wind. Comfreytail winced.

"She fell," the she-cat answered softly. "She couldn't have survived." Shadeflightt went on stiffly, in horror, and the cats were silent.

"She died like a warrior," Darkstorm mewed. "Fighting for the code, and giving her life for a kit's. She could've tossed him down, and let you take her, but she didn't." Mosstail let out a shrill mew. As they reached the top, Shellstripe licked her tom's ears. 

"I know what his name will be," she decided. "He will be called Amberkit, in memory of the cat who gave her life for him." DarkClan began to murmur his name, and Mosstail nodded.

"It's a good name. We will remember her by him." Shellstripe sighed.

"The she-kit will be Duskkit." Darkstorm flicked her tail for attention.

"So we have two new cats with us: Duskkit and Amberkit! We'll find a place to sleep and sit vigil for Amberflight. She was a good friend and a brave cat." Darkstorm sniffed the air, wondering what the scent was, when Thorntail let out a warning yowl.

"Eagle!" Shellstripe grabbed Amberkit. Duskkit let out a squeal as the eagle dove for her, claws outstretched. Shellstripe screeched as the eagle grabbed her kit, and pounced on it's back. Darkstorm rushed over to help, but the eagle was carrying Shellstripe away.

"No!" she shouted, jumping up and digging her claws in the eagle's wing. It cawed and threw her off, flying awkwardly but higher. She fell with a thud, and leaped again. The eagle was too high. "No... We lost Beechleap and Amberflight, and Featherheart! We can't lose you too!" A second eagle was circling them, and Thorntail grabbed her, dragging her back. Hardclaw got Duskkit, who was alive on the ground, and took her to Amberkit.

"Get along," he ordered. He doesn't know how to deal with kits.

"We'll bring you a mousetail later if your still and don't fight," she promised shakily. The kits nodded and she looked at DarkClan. "Shellstripe's-" she glanced at the kits, who were cocking their heads.

"Where's Mama?" Duskkit asked.

"She's... sleeping," Coralstar murmured, licking the kit's ruffled fur. Darkstorm sighed.

"There was nothing we could do. It was the eagle," Badgerleap mewed. Darkstorm looked at the sky. 

"We have to-"

"Who are you?" a gruff voice belonging to a mud-covered tom demanded. 

"Flower!" Yowltail mewed. "It's me!"

"Yowltail? Who are all these?"

"DarkClan... It's a long story. But we need shelter." Flower flicked his tail, deciding to trust them.

"Come. It smells like eagle here." They followed him through a path of ferns until they reached a clearing. Then they turned and continued to find a waterfall. "Stoneteller!" Flower barked. "May I come?" 

"Yes," a she-cat's voice replied. They followed the tom behind the waterfall, into a cave, and saw a pale ginger she-cat. "Who are these cats?"

"DarkClan. They need shelter.." Flower trailed off, confused. "I'm not completely sure, but this is Yowltail." Stoneteller dipped her head in a greeting. "And Grassfang, Hardclaw, Thorntail and Troutfin." 

"We are DarkClan," Darkstorm explained. "I'm Darkstorm. The clans... Are leaving." She left out the part about the code and the prophecy, keeping it simple and not revealing too much. "For good. We are traveling over the moutains, not in the direction of the old territory, but to the side. We need to stay somewhere and keep vigil for Amberflight," she lowered her voice, "and Shellstripe, these kit's mother."

"Amberflight... The cheerful she-cat that came once," Stoneteller recalled. "There are kits with you? Stay, but only for a night. I am sorry, but we need our territory, now that The Time of Frozen Water is coming." 

"Leaf-bare," Flower clarified. "I think that's what you call it." They were led to a cave of food and then to sleeping dens; they kept unsocial as anyone could be a threat. Darkstorm yawned, her belly full for the first time in moons. 

I'm not the apprentice. StarClan would have warned me. And I think we're right about why StarClan is mad; we depend on them too much. Until we reach the moon, we won't contact them. We have to think for ourselves. She closed her eyes sleepily. I think StarClan believes in me. They know I can do it. I can solve the prophecy. Her expression grew determined; she had faced death in the eye when she had climbed the mountain, she had faced courage n the eye when she left the clans, and she had looked determination in the eye for her whole life. I'm the 'shadows', and I will save the clans!

That's good, she thinks she can save the clans. But do you think you know who the apprentice is? I wouldn't cross her off the list... Just because she tries to be good doesn't mean she is. But then again, wouldn't it? Not very helpful, I know. Sorry! I know the cover isn't great and I'm still taking cover creations. Wow, you've given me a lot to choose from. For now, I'll just keep this, but after I'll go over them and see what fits. But I like the name I decided, 'Darkstorm's Code'. Do you?

-Shadowstorm