Dawnpaw awoke to a sunny morning, the bright morning sky sending rays of light into the apprentices den. She looked beside her; all of the nests were empty, except for Heatherpaw's. The tan apprentice was snoring softly, her paws splayed across the mossy nest. Dawnpaw pushed outside, blinking against the bright sunlight that greeted her. Lightstep, Lilyflight, and Leafwing were entering camp with prey clamped in their jaws, Ashpaw, Rainpaw, and Poppypaw following behind.

Stormpaw was playing with Gingerkit and Bumblekit, giving them badger rides across the hollow. They squealed happily as the gray apprentice stomped across the clearing. The kit's mother, Iceflake, was watching with amusement. Sunnypaw was just leaving the medicine den, a mouthful of herbs clamped in her jaws.

Hightail beckoned to her from across the clearing. "You're going on a patrol," He mewed. "Blazepelt, Skyrunner, and Stormpaw will go with you." He gestured to them with his tail, and they bounded over.

"You're not coming?" Dawnpaw asked. Hightail shook his head.

"Petalnose started kitting this morning," He explained. "Emberstar is with her, so I'm in charge."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears, just now noticing the shrieks coming from the nursery.

Blazepelt flicked his ears. "Ready to go?" He asked, leading them out of the clearing.

"We're going to the Shadowclan border," He mewed darkly. "Maybe we'll find another one of their apprentices."

Dawnpaw had forgotten about the Shadowclan cat.

"Is he alright?" She asked anxiously. Blazepelt shook his head.

"He's got a nasty infection in one leg, according to Rosepelt." He mewed. "He won't be walking anytime soon, much less fighting and hunting." His irritation was obvious.

"Rosepelt needs some help," Skyrunner mewed, sounding tired. "I think it's time she took an apprentice, and I know just the cat."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears curiously. "Who?" She asked.

Skyrunner glanced over at her. "Sunnypaw," She mewed after a moment's hesitation.

Dawnpaw flicked her tail in surprise. Skyrunner thought her own apprentice should become a medicine cat? Sunnypaw was always hanging around the medicine den, but Dawnpaw thought it was only because she liked being with Rosepelt. The she-cat was kind, and always willing to talk.

Blazepelt flicked his ears irritably. "Are we going to remark the borders or not?" He hissed. Skyrunner nudged her mate playfully.

"Relax," She mewed. "We'll do it now." Blazepelt nodded, bounding forward to set a marker farther up.

As Dawnpaw set her own marker, her thoughts wandered to the Shadowclan apprentice back at camp. I wonder what he's like. She finished up with her marker, meeting up with Skyrunner and Blazepelt. They headed back to camp, hunting a little on the way. Dawnpaw padded back into the hollow, holding a mouse by it's tail. Hightail nodded approvingly.

"Why don't you take that to the medicine den?" He said, "I'm sure our guest will be hungry."

Dawnpaw nodded, excitement fizzing through her. Pushing through the draping ferns that covered the medicine den, she stepped inside. The scent of infection hit her nose, making her gag. A lonely black shape was curled inside of a nest near the back of the den. Dawnpaw headed towards it, wrinkling her nose against the smell of sickness.

"Hello?" She mewed quietly. The black cat lifted his head. Dawnpaw felt her heart skip a beat. His pure black pelt was riddled with specks of white, like stars. His yellow eyes were dull with sleep.

"I...brought you some food," Dawnpaw meowed shyly. "If you're hungry."

The cat looked hungrily at the mouse as Dawnpaw dropped it at his paws. He finished it in two bites, licking his lips.

"Do you want more?" Dawnpaw asked. "There's plenty of freshkill." The black cat hesitated, then shook his head.

"It's alright," He rasped, "I'm full."

Dawnpaw nodded. "I'm Dawnpaw, by the way," She mewed, stepping towards the exit of the den.

"Starpaw," The apprentice called after her.

Dawnpaw pushed through the ferns again, stepping out into the fading sunlight as a heartbroken yowl echoed around the clearing.

Dawnpaw raced over to Sunnypaw, who was leaving the nursery. "What happened?" She asked, seeing the sun-colored apprentices sad expression.

"One of Petalnose's kits died." She answered quietly. Dawnpaw fluffed out her tail as Emberstar ducked out of the nursery, a limp shape swinging from his jaws. He set the small bundle down in the center of the clearing.

Rosepelt emerged soon with another tiny figure, setting it beside the other. Emberstar nosed his kits sadly, settling down to sit vigil. Petalnose joined them with the third kit in her jaws.

"Goodbye, Ivykit." The grieving mother touched her nose to the small kit's flank.

Emberstar retreated to his den, grief clouding his gaze. Rosepelt walked slowly up to Petalnose, as if her paws were heavy. She murmured something to the grief-stricken she-cat, who stared at her in surprise. Then she called to Emberstar, who came to sit by the kits while Petalnose followed Rosepelt out of camp.

Dawnpaw burned with curiosity, but she turned her attention to Emberstar when he began to speak.

"Tonight, we sit vigil for Ivykit, Brackenkit, and Shinekit." He touched his nose to each of his kit's in turn, ruffling up their fur as though the cold would pierce through them. Then he sat down with his tail over his paws to sit vigil. Iceflake joined them after ushering her own two kits back into the nursery. Blazepelt and Skyrunner sat beside their kits, Ashpaw and Rainpaw. Dawnpaw padded over to where Heatherpaw and Quickstep were waiting.

Quickstep licked Dawnpaw's ears reassuringly. "It's alright," Her mother mewed gently. "They're with Starclan now. They will never have to worry about going hungry in leafbare, or fighting in a battle that they could never win."

Dawnpaw nodded, snuggling against her mother and sister. She stared up at the sky, wondering if the three little kits were there now.

Dawnpaw walked carefully across the tree bridge, digging her claws into the slippery bark. It had been a few sunrises since Petalnose's kits died, and the clan were all on edge about the coming Gathering. Starpaw wasn't any better; Rosepelt was beginning to think that he wouldn't make it to the next moon. Dawnpaw didn't want to believe that would happen; she had grown genuinely attached to the black apprentice. She had visited him every day since the death of Petalnose's kits, bringing him food, telling him about training, and hunting, and whatever news that clan had. He had become a friend, and Dawnpaw didn't want their friendship to end.

As she entered the clearing where the Great Oak stood, Hightail left her side to go sit with the other deputies on the roots of the Great Oak, sitting beside Smokepelt, Minnowpelt, and Softstep. Emberstar joined Darkstar, Pinestar, and Sharpstar in the branches, settling down with his tail draping over the edge. Darkstar stood, walking forward to the tip of her branch.

"Shadowclan is doing well." She began. Her dark eyes turned sad and cold for a moment. "There was a badger in our territory, and it attacked a patrol. One of our apprentices was badly injured, and we think he was killed by his injuries."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears. They have to be talking about Starpaw! She felt an unexpected surge of anger on her friend's behalf. His clan didn't even try to find him! What if he hadn't survived; would his clan have left his body for the crows? Her claws slid out, digging in to the dirt. Emberstar had made the connection too.

"Is he going to say anything about it?" Dawnpaw hissed to Poppypaw, who was sitting beside her. The black-and-creme she-cat shrugged.

"We'll see," She answered.

"Thankfully, our patrol was able to drive the badger off of clan territory. The rest of the cats only received minor injuries." Darkstar sat back down at the beginning of her branch, nodding to Pinestar. The Windclan leader stepped forward, her deep green eyes suspicious.

"Prey is plentiful in Windclan this newleaf." Pinestar stated. "We have two new warriors, Badgerstripe and Acorntail. We found some Thunderclan scent on our territory three sunrises ago, along with traces of rabbit blood." Gasps of surprise echoed through the gathered cats.

Dawnpaw shrank into the shadows, hiding from the murmurs. She should have been more careful about covering her tracks!

"I assure you, no Thunderclan cat has set a single hair on Windclan territory." Emberstar mewed calmly. Pinestar hissed.

"Windclan has no other news to report," She ended curtly, jumping into a higher branch of the oak and obscuring herself in leaves.

Sharpstar cleared his throat. "Prey is running well in Riverclan. The lake is full of fish. Twolegs have come again, just like they do every season. We also have a new litter of kits born to Softear; Wishkit, Bloomkit, and Chilikit." Yowls of congratulations echoed through the clans. Sharpstar nodded to Emberstar, who stood and addressed the clans.

"The forest is full of prey, and no cat has gone hungry for moons." Thunderclan yowled with approval. "A new litter of kits were born to Petalnose, but all three were stillborn." His mew cracked at the mention of his lost kits. Murmurs of sympathy were heard from all of the clans. "If they had survived, they would have been known as Ivykit, Brackenkit, and Shinekit." He paused for a moment. "Our losses do not weaken us. These losses will only make us stronger. Thunderclan has nothing else to report." He ended, sitting down again.

"This gathering is at a close," Darkstar announced, leaping down from the Great Oak and leading her clan towards the tree bridge. Emberstar followed, gathering Thunderclan and bounding back towards the forest. Dawnpaw followed close behind, her ears alert.

"...I miss Starpaw." Dawnpaw stopped when she heard a she-cat's small mew from across the island. She turned to see a white she-cat with black speckles along her body looking down at her paws. A black and white tom was standing next to her.

"I know, but you need to let him go." The black and white cats voice was gentle. "You're not focusing on your training lately, and you're never going to be made a warrior if you don't try harder, Halfpaw."

Halfpaw looked at her paws. "I miss my brother," She mewed quietly.

Dawnpaw felt unexpected relief. It's just his sister. Then she felt guilty. She must miss him. I don't know what I would do if I thought Heatherpaw was dead. The thought of losing her only littermate made her shiver.

"Dawnpaw!" Dawnpaw whirled around to see her clan already across the tree bridge. Hightail was waiting impatiently. Dawnpaw pressed her ears down in embarrassment, hurrying across the bridge to catch up to her clan. Her paws skidded across the smooth bark as she sprinted towards them, and she waved her tail wildly for balance. She leaped to the shore, landing with three paws safely on land, while a hind paw dipped into the water. Dawnpaw hissed, shaking her foot irritably.

Hightail flicked his ears. "What took you so long?" He growled. "Why were you staying behind?"

Dawnpaw scuffed her paws. "I...heard Starpaw's sister talking about him," She muttered. "She seems really upset." She looked up at her mentor. "Is it really fair to let his clan believe that he is dead?"

Hightail sighed. "No, it's not fair." He meowed thoughtfully. "But we can't do anything about it. Until Starpaw is better, or until he is with Starclan, Emberstar has instructed he remain a secret."

Until he is with Starclan. Dawnpaw shivered, not wanting to think about losing her new best friend. As she followed her clan back to camp, shadows covered her path, clouding her gaze. The same rotting smell from before filled her nose, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"...we need you," A barely audible voice whispered from somewhere in the bushes. Dawnpaw whirled around, searching for the source of the voice.

"Not yet," The voice purred icily. "No, not yet. But soon." Dawnpaw fluffed up her tail with fear, her hackles lifting. But the voice was gone, the scent disappearing, scattered by the wind.

"Dawnpaw!" Dawnpaw jolted back to reality to see Hightail staring at her, concern clear in his gaze. "Are you alright? You seem off."

Dawnpaw nodded. "I'm fine," She mewed, trying to keep her mew steady. She was shaking all over. The voice seemed evil, cold and foreboding. Hightail didn't seem convinced, but he led her back to clan without another word.

Later that night, Dawnpaw curled in her nest, her tail tucked over her nose. She shivered, a cold breeze wafting in to the apprentices den. She stood, stretching, and left the den, careful not to disturb the others. As she emerged from the den, she froze, paws rigid with shock and fear.

Dark trees surrounded her on all sides, blocking out the stars and leaving her in a pool of shadows. Voices whisked all around her, wispy and unintelligible. As she tried to move backwards, back into the safety of her den, the ground sucked at her paws, holding her in the forest. Words drifted around her, and she strained her ears.

"...forsaken,"

"...scattered,"

"...broken,"

Dawnpaw shivered. Taking a deep breath, she noticed a rotting smell; one that was vaguely familiar.

"Hello," A silky voice appeared behind her. Dawnpaw whirled around to face a dark she-cat; her black pelt was sleek and beautiful, wreathed in smoke. Her face was orange-red, her paws the same, cut with jagged lines. Her red-tipped tail waved as she wove around Dawnpaw, her rotting scent choking the Thunderclan apprentice. Her yellow eyes glowed against the forest, glinting in the starless night.

"You look lost," She purred. "I can help you, if you like." She paused, tilting her head to one side.

"What is your name?" She asked icily. "I don't think we've met; at least, not formally. Face-to-face." She thrust her muzzle close to Dawnpaw's, and the ginger she-cat gagged on her rancid breath.

"D-dawnpaw," She stuttered.

"Hmmmm," The she-cat tapped her shining silver claws on the swampy ground. "I don't much like that name, do you? It seems rather...bright." She smirked. "I'm Nightfire, by the way." She rolled her eyes.

"Lovely name, isn't it? A fire in the night, giving light to the lost souls." She purred, her mew laced with enough poison to kill Thunderclan. "Everyone knows that the darkness is better when it's just...dark. Simple as that." She stood in front of Dawnpaw, her eyes glittering with malice.

"W-why am I here?" She asked, her voice trembling.

Nightfire shrugged. "I figured we should become acquainted," She mewed. "After all, you and I will be seeing a lot of each other soon."

Dawnpaw swallowed. "What do you mean by that?"

Nightfire glanced behind her. "Oh look," She sneered. "The sun is rising. Time for you to go home."

Dawnpaw felt herself starting to slip. She looked down, panic clouding her senses when she saw the swampy ground swallowing her like a piece of prey.

"Goodbye, Dawnpaw." Nightfire called after her. "We'll see each other again soon."

Dawnpaw closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as the muck covered her head. Then everything went black.