The hisses and growls of fighting cats filled the air. Rouges had attacked the TreeClan camp, located in a mighty magnolia tree.

Iceshard, a warrior of TreeClan, was struggling against a powerful rouge. He had her pinned, and was about to go in for the killing bite.

She quickly kicked him of with a powerful thrust of her hind legs. Iceshard lunged at him, but the rouge slammed his claws into her face, knocking her out of the tree.

The diluted calico was barely alive, struggling to catch her breath and unable to move. She landed hard on a rock below.

The rouge had came down from the tree just so he could finish her. He unsheathed his claws and sank them deep into her neck. He almost tore her head off, there was no chance she survived.

Blood poured onto the petal-strewn ground, then a single voice called out, "FALL BACK!"

Rouges poured from the tree and disappeared into the forest.

◇◇◇

Frostpaw applied the marigold poultice to Lynxbite's wounds. The tom hissed lightly but kept quiet. She took a leaf and placed it over the wound so it wouldn't get rubbed off.

Magnoliawish, a queen and mother to young Cinderpaw, rushed into her den. "Frostpaw, I have some bad news... Iceshard, she's in StarClan now."

The world seemed to blur. Frostpaw felt weak. She fell to the mossy ground of the medicine den.

"The rouges were fighting to kill, but the attack was unprovoked.  TreeClan had done nothing to anger those cats."

All she could hear was the distant murmur of her clanmates and the thudding of her heart.

"Maybe it was out of bloodlust?" Someone whispered.

"What if they are going to take over! TreeClan can't take more attacks!"

A single voice was louder than the rest.

"FROSTPAW! FROSTPAW ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" 

Magnoliawish was shaking her. "It's going to be okay Frostpaw."

No, this is not okay.

She almost snapped back at the timid cat.

"W-what about Tansykit?" She asked, tears in her eyes.

"We're keeping him in the nursery. He shouldn't see his mother..." Magnoliawish's voice broke.

Frostpaw walked solemnly out of the den. Iceshard's body was laying in the small center of the camp in front of her.  Blood made a trail to the edge of the dip in the tree where the branches all split from the trunk. Cats sat around her body.

Iceshard's throat had been completely torn out. Usually, the wounds are hidden during mourning. But, this wound was too great. Her head was almost torn off.

Frostpaw broke down into sobs and buried her muzzle into her mother's cold body.

Applefang, Iceshard's mate, was crouching beside her body. The ginger warrior groomed his mate's pelt one last time.

"What's goin on! I wanna see! Did we win?!" Tansykit's excited mews echoed throughout the now silent camp. Magnoliawish's calm meows hushed the kit. But the squeaks of his protest were still heard.

Warriors all gathered around Iceshard's body. They gently lifted her and eased her down the tree. Each warrior stood in a certain place on the lower limbs. They each took turns strategically lowering her body to the forest floor. Applefang was the last to receive her body.

Applefang carried her to a patch of flowers and dug a hole. He carefully placed her in it and filled in the hole.

He stayed in that spot all night. Not speaking, not moving, not sleeping. He just stared up at the stars and watched her spirit ascend to StarClan.

◇◇◇

"I'm leaving the clan."

"But Applefang," Walnutstar spoke, "You can't!  TreeClan is dwindling and it's getting harder to defend our borders. We already lost Coyotetail to greencough and Lynxbite has fallen ill. Besides, your daughter journeys to the Starpool tonight to take his place as medicine cat. Don't you want to be here for Frostpaw?"

"I wanted her to become a warrior. Not waste her time sorting through weeds. I'm leaving and I'm not coming until those damn rouges are all dead."

The ginger warrior turned and left without  another word.