"What?" Ashpaw and Acornpaw meowed, their eyes wide.

"We have to get back to camp." Faithpaw stepped forward, glancing over at Thistlestar.

"Why?" Ashpaw asked.

"I-I don't know!" Thistlestar yelled, clawing up the grass beneath his paws. "FoxClan and Darkstar pose more of a threat to us than I originally thought." Thistlestar continued, quieter this time. His green gaze swept around his clanmates, resting on Faithpaw for a few moments.

Faithpaw gave him a tiny nod of her head. "Let's go." She meowed, flicking her tail back and forth. Hope glittered in Thistlestar's eyes and he led the way up the slope onto the Thunderpath.

The patrol padded briskly along the side of the Thunderpath, the short grass was coarse beneath their paws.

"What was SilverStar Falls like?" Ashpaw asked, coming up on Faithpaw's left.

"It was... beautiful... It shone with the warriors of StarClan themselves..." Faithpaw murmured, smiling as she recalled the scene.

"That sounds amazing!" Acornpaw squealed, coming up on Faithpaw's other side, not fazed by the reason they were rushing home. That, or she didn't show it.

Meanwhile, fear and confusion were curling inside of Faithpaw. Fear of FoxClan threatening her clan, and confusion from the words that the starry cat had told her. "You are a special cat, Faithpaw. You'll grow to do great things. You have a destiny greater than most cats. Your clan needs you, even if they don't see it yet. You will rise to save them."

The patrol came to the hard, black stone of the paved Thunderpath. Thistlestar padded forward and rested a paw on the smooth surface. He glanced up and down the path, then flicked his ears. 

As if that was a signal, Hollyhawk raced across the path, her paws flying over the stone. She stopped when she reached the other side.

"Now you Ashpaw." Thistlestar hissed, signalling with his tail.

Ashpaw cast a glance at Faithpaw and darted across the stone, coming to a stop next to Hollyhawk.

"Acornpaw, you next." The gray tom meowed. 

Acornpaw started to run, not seeing the monster speeding towards her. 

"Acornpaw, run!" Thistlestar yelled, but Acornpaw didn't seem to hear him. She was frozen as the monster drew closer, its paws rumbled along the Thunderpath. 

Without a second thought, Faithpaw ran toward her friend, ignoring Thistlestar's meows of shock. Acornpaw gasped as Faithpaw threw herself over the reddish-brown she-cat. Faithpaw pressed the smaller cat to the ground as the monster rumbled above them. Fear pulsed through Faithpaw and her heart pounded, she could feel Acornpaw shaking beneath her. Faithpaw pressed further into her friend's pelt as the monster passed over them. Hot air buffeted their fur. The acrid stench that the monster left in its wake stung her nostrils. 

Faithpaw nudged Acornpaw to her paws and they both hurried across the rest of the Thunderpath. Thistlestar raced after them and continued running even after he passed. 

"What are you doing?" Hollyhawk called after him.

"I can see the forest! Come on, follow me!" Thistlestar yelled back to them.

All the cats exchanged glances and bounded after their leader. Faithpaw felt Acornpaw's fur brush her's as they ran, and Ashpaw's whiskers were grazing Faithpaw's.

The cats raced across the border and the ferns and undergrowth slapped against them as they pushed through.

The bracken wall came into view and Thistlestar skidded to a halt. Faithpaw's fur fluffed up as she heard shrieks and yowls coming from inside the camp.

"This is what StarClan warned me about!" Thistlestar yowled above the caterwauling.

"What's going on?" Ashpaw demanded.

"Our camp is under attack from Darkstar's forces!" Thistlestar replied.

"What!" Acornpaw yelled in shock.

"Remember your training, you three, and let's defend our camp." Hollyhawk glanced at Thistlestar, who nodded and dove through the hole in the bracken. The apprentices followed after Hollyhawk as she dove in after Thistlestar.

There were cats everywhere in the clearing. Apprentices, warriors, enemy warriors, all attacking and clawing. Acornpaw pressed against her two friends and darted off between the yowling cats, fighting her way toward Shadowpaw, who was getting shredded by a a dark brown tom with a light brown chest, chin, and belly with greenleaf grass eyes. 

Faithpaw felt a body slam into her, knocking Ashpaw further away. She kicked her attacker hard in the ribs and she scrambled to her paws as the body rolled away. 

Ashpaw came running and came to a halt beside her, his teeth were bared in snarl. Their attacker had risen to their paws and Faithpaw and Ashpaw both let out gasps of shock. It was the fox that had tried to take their prey during their hunting assessment.

The fox let out something like a bark and a growl, as it leapt at the two apprentices.

"Split!" Faithpaw yowled and ducked to the side. Ashpaw leapt out of way as the fox landed right where they had been moments before.

Ashpaw wriggled his hunches and pounced the fox. He landed on its back and dug in his claws. Faithpaw dove forward and nipped at the fox's ankles. The fox yelped as Ashpaw rolled to the side, pulling the fox down with him. Faithpaw slashed at the fox's exposed belly with unsheathed claws.

Suddenly, the fox shot out a paw and clawed her over the ear. Faithpaw shrieked in pain and stumbled backward. Ashpaw had now sunk his teeth into the fox's neck, blood spurted from the wound and the fox yelped, thrashing about and trying to throw Ashpaw off.

Just then, a gray furred tom shot toward Ashpaw and pushed him off. Faithpaw let out a yowl and leapt at the scruffy-furred tom. She grabbed him by the shoulders and lugged him off of Ashpaw. The two cats rolled onto the grass, claws dug into each other. Faithpaw let out a gasp as she recognized the scruffy, gray-furred, tom as Wolfblaze, FoxClan's deputy. The FoxClan deputy simply stared at her, his amber gaze traveled across the warriors and found a black-furred tom, Darkstar. Faithpaw was surprised to look a sadness cross Wolfblaze's face. He turned back to Faithpaw and did something that caused confusion to swirl in Faithpaw's belly. He loosened his grip and let his claws drop to ground beneath him.

"You won't fight even though Darkstar ordered you to?" Faithpaw asked, blinking down at the warrior between her paws.

"I was stupid not to see this before..." Wolfblaze muttered, his gaze going back to Darkstar again, who was slashing at every FernClan warrior he could reach. "He's changed from back then... He's corrupt... He's not the cat I once loved and cared for as my brother..." Wolfblaze's gaze trailed back to Faithpaw. "I won't fight in his pointless battles for power... Not anymore..." Faithpaw's heart wrenched in her chest as she noticed that Wolfblaze's eyes were glistening with tears. This was a cat who knew Darkstar before he must've become corrupted by hate. Faithpaw held his gaze for a moment longer before letting her claws sheath. She got off of Wolfblaze and watched him stand up.

"T-Thank you..." Wolfblaze murmured. "You have spirit, you'll turn into a great warrior... No matter how much Darkstar says you're weak..." 

Faithpaw was touched and she ducked her head in thanks. Wolfblaze's gaze stayed locked with hers until he turned and bounded off to help some of his clanmates, not fighting back, but helping, like an honorable warrior who knew when a battle was not needed.

A yowl split the air and Faithpaw spun around. Through the crowd, she could see Thistlestar and Darkstar facing each other, their tails lashing and their claws out.

"Why are you attacking our camp, Darkstar?" Thistlestar demanded.

"You know that answer! Your clan had taken so much from me and I will make you pay!" Darkstar growled.

"My clan has changed since those times! The world has continued moving from then! Why can't you?" 

"What your clan has done is unforgivable!" Darkstar flashed back.

Thistlestar stared at him, intense disbelief clouding his gaze, and he shook his head ever so slightly at the black tom.

"I won't stop until there is nothing left of this excuse for a clan! And I'll start with you!" Darkstar snarled and leapt at Thistlestar, his claws outstretched. He sailed over the FernClan leader, scoring his claws down Thistlestar's gray back. Darkstar rolled off and sunk his teeth into the rival leader's back leg. Thistlestar kicked him away. Darkstar got to his paws and slashed his claws along Thistlestar's incoming paw. Thistlestar hissed and pulled away. A twisted smile full of malice and rage appeared on Darkstar's face, as Thistlestar bowed his head, clutching his paw to his chest, leaving his neck exposed.

"Thistlestar!" Faithpaw yowled, but it was too late. Darkstar had leapt at Thistlestar and sunk his teeth into the back of the leader's neck. With one paw, Darkstar slashed his claws across the front of Thistlestar's neck as well, causing more blood to flow. Thistlestar let out a gurgled cry as blood dribbled out of his open jaws. The FernClan leader shuddered once and fell still, his eyelids drooping. Darkstar dropped the gray tom and Thistlestar's limp body fell to the ground with a thud.

Both clans were in stunned shock. The yowling had grow quiet and every cat's eyes were on either Darkstar or Thistlestar's limp form. 

Without thinking twice, Faithpaw snarled and shoved her way through the crowd. Pain mixed with rage pulsed from her heart. That was her leader, her mentor, the cat that invited in her into the clan and let her live her dreams. She flew at Darkstar with her claws stretching toward him. Darkstar didn't have time to comprehend what was happening before Faithpaw had barreled him over, knocking him back into the Lone Oak tree. Darkstar scrambled to his paws and Faithpaw hit the tree above his head. She dug in her claws and turned, landing on his back, and using her weight to force him to the ground. Darkstar twisted beneath her, until he was lying on his back. His rage-filled amber gaze met Faithpaw's green one. That same fear from the gathering night flashed again, stronger this time, as he saw the rage and anger in the depths of Faithpaw's eyes.

"FernClan, keep fighting! We can beat them! Chase them out!" Hollyhawk yowled and fighting began again, yowls filled the air just as before.

Faithpaw watched as the fear in Darkstar's eyes was replaced by anger. He dragged a paw out from under Faithpaw and slashed it along Faithpaw's cheek. Faithpaw hissed, and dug a set of claws into Darkstar's chest. She clawed at Darkstar's side with her other set of thorn-sharp claws. Darkstar kicked her hard in the stomach and sent her flying into the corner where the Elder's den was nestled. She shot to her paws again as Darkstar ran at her.

"Darkstar! This battle is pointless, our warriors are falling back!" Wolfblaze had ran over to them. 

"This battle is not pointless!" Darkstar spat back at his deputy.

"There will be more battles!" Wolfblaze said, his eyes seemed to pleading with his old friend. "Let's call this off and go home!" His tone had dropped to the pain-filled meow.

Darkstar swiveled his head around to met Faithpaw's gaze one last time. "This isn't over..." He growled.

Faithpaw held his gaze steadily. "No, it's not." She replied, letting her claws catch the light of rising sun, that had appeared and was shining its rays through the trees.

Darkstar turned around and followed his deputy, as Wolfblaze fought his way toward the camp entrance, yowling, "Retreat FoxClan, retreat!".

The FoxClan warriors broke away from their opponents and followed their leader and deputy out of camp. Darkstar let them go ahead and once they were all out, he turned back to FernClan.

"I'll be back to make you badger-hearts pay... Just you wait..." His gaze flowed over every cat and found Faithpaw.  Faithpaw felt the fur along her spine rise. This was most definitely not over. No cat messed with FernClan. Especially not a fox-heart like Darkstar. Darkstar held her gaze for a moment longer before turning and following his clan.

After a few moments, every head turned toward Thistlestar, who was lying in the shadow of the Lone Oak tree. Fallenwillow had appeared from her den and was heading toward the fallen leader. She knelt down next to him and rested of paw on Thistlestar's chest. She straightened up and turned around. 

"Thistlestar has lost a life! But it was not his last!" Fallenwillow meowed to the cats all around the clearing.

Not his last life... Faithpaw thought, curiously. Her ears flicked in confusion.

A few seconds later, Thistlestar jerked and let out a cough, splattering blood onto the ground beneath him.

Relief and pure joy filled Faithpaw's body as she watched Falllenwillow help Thistlestar to his paws.

"Those who are injured, go to Fallenwillow's den where she can treat you." Thistlestar meowed, his voice scratchy. 

"May I treat your wounds, Thistlestar?" Fallenwillow asked. 

"Later, see to the clan first."

Fallenwillow ducked her head. "Alright. I'll see to them now."

After the clan was treated, most cats were talking of the battle outside their dens, as the sun filtered through the leaves above.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Lone Oak for a clan meeting!" Thistlestar's meow rang around the clearing, from where he sat on one of the branches of the Lone Oak. "I believe it is time for a very important ceremony to take place. I can think of better time than now, to give Faithpaw, Ashpaw, and Acornpaw their warrior names." All three apprentices gaped at each other. This was it! The moment they had been training for! "I, Thistlestar, leader of FernClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Faithpaw, Ashpaw, Acornpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?" Thistlestar gazed down at them, his eyes bright.

"I do." Ashpaw replied. 

"As do I." Acornpaw squeaked, her body trembling with excitement.

Faithpaw took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Her mind whirled back to her life as a kittypet, then to when she was invited into FernClan. She remembered all the moments of her training and her destiny, which she still didn't fully understand. Faithpaw opened her eyes again and met her leader's gaze. 

"I do." She vowed, her fur tingling.

Thistlestar smiled down at them. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you three your warrior names. Ashpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Ashstripe. StarClan honors your dedication and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FernClan. Acornpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Acornpelt. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and your energy, and we welcome you as a full warrior of FernClan." 

Some of the clan chuckled as Acornpelt licked her chest awkwardly, mumbling "Thank you, thank you very much." 

"And now, Faithpaw. You came in as a kittypet, you have trained hard and today, you're no longer a kittypet among us, you are now a warrior worthy of StarClan. Faithpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Faithclaw. StarClan honors your spirit and courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of FernClan." Thistlestar jumped down and rested his head on each of the newly-named cat's heads. They each licked his shoulder in return. Thistlestar stepped back and gazed at the three of them. "I am proud to have to you three as my warriors in my clan. May StarClan light your paths."

"Ashstripe, Acornpelt, Faithclaw! Ashstripe, Acornpelt, Faithclaw!" The clan yowled to the sky.

"Meeting dismissed!" Thistlestar meowed and padded away as the rest of the clan crowded around them, to congratulate them on becoming warriors.

Once the clan cats had gone, Acornpelt and Ashstripe had padded off toward the Prey Pile, picking out something for a late breakfast. Faithclaw stayed where she was. She gazed up at the Lone Oak. Whispers reached her ears.

"Go well, Faithclaw." 

"Be the best warrior you can be for your clan."

"StarClan honors you."

"Remember your destiny, Faithclaw. StarClan will light your path." 

A small smile crawled onto Faithclaw's face as she saw the starry shape of her guide form on one of the branches of the tree. She smiled down at Faithclaw and gave her a slight nod. Faithclaw nodded back and padded over to join her friends. I'm a warrior of Fernclan now! She thought as the sun blazed down upon the clearing, warming her black tortoiseshell fur. And as the young warrior sat down, the StarClan warrior faded away in the light of the sun's warm rays.