Foxflame frowned, scraping the dirt with his claws in annoyance, this was not the first time he was bothered about forgetting what happened that night. Just thinking about what happened sent chills up his spine, there was no absolute way that he had been dead, right? He shook his head wearily with a sigh, standing and shaking bits of grass from his pelt as he padded back towards camp. The sun was just beginning to peak over the trees and from the scent of it the dawn patrols had returned not long ago, and a few hunting patrols had already been sent out.

He dipped his head to Brindlesky and Hornheart who sat guard outside the entrance to camp, "Hello Foxflame." Brindlesky meowed with a flick of her ear, "Good morning Brindlesky, its another fine greenleaf day." He replied respectfully, and Hornheart rumbled in a deep voice, "Indeed it is." Foxflame ducked through the tunnel, the sandy paw-printed earth was well worn down as he entered camp.

The suns haze filled the clearing with warmth, beetles and grasshoppers bounding and flittering in the dark green grass of newleaf, the brightly colored tree branches dancing in the wind as they cast their shade into the camp. For the first time in what seems like forever, Foxflame payed these small things attention, relishing the sun warming his pelt, and the cool grass under his paws.

He took in a deep breath with a long, relaxed sigh before padding on further into the camp to see a group of warriors chatting like starlings, Yewtail and Hollyheart sharing tongues in a patch of golden sunlight, Blazepaw's orange tail poked out from the elders den as he cleaned out their nests and listened to the old cats rambling. Foxflame purred in amusement as he remembered when he had to do apprentice duties such as cleaning out the elders' nests and checking their pelt for fleas, the bitter stench of mouse-bile was not one to forget easily thats for sure.

"Foxflame, can you spare some time?" He recognized Duskstars meow and turned to see his leader sitting in the shade next to Crowclaw and a few other senior warriors. Foxflame trotted over, "Of course, what do you need Duskstar?" The dark gray tom lowered his meow when Foxflame was closer, "Would you be able to give our two oldest apprentices their final assessments? Just send Icepaw and Barkpaw hunting and follow them, then report the results back to me and Crowclaw, if they succeed they may become warriors, Blazepaw and Stormpaw will be made warriors soon as well."

Foxflame hesitated for a moment in doubt and surprise, then nodded, "I-I would be honored to be able to test them, thank you Duskstar."

The leader nodded and dismissed him with a flick of his tail, excitement buzzing through Foxflame as he padded toward the apprentices den, wow what an honor, the leader wants me to test them! Even with his excitement Foxflame couldn't help but notice how thin the deputy looked, his ribs were visible through his dull pelt, and he seemed exhausted.

Foxflame shook his head to focus on the matter ahead, testing the two older apprentices. Foxflame padded over to the two apprentices, who were practicing battle moves in the shade by their den. Icepaw darted out of Barkpaw's heavy strikes, cuffing him on the ears before doubling back, but the larger apprentice skillfully scooped her paws out from under her as she attempted to dart away.

The two apprentices finally noticed his presence, and leaped up to shake their pelts, "Hello Foxflame, need something?" Icepaw asked, tilting her head. He nodded, "Duskstar informed me that it is time I send you two off on your final assessments." The two cats sent each other excited looks, the older cats visibly excited to earn the ranks more appropriate for their ages.

Foxflame flicked his tail for them to follow him as he led the way back out of camp, and a short ways into the dense greenleaf forest. He stopped abruptly in the shade of a tall oak, and turned to the two apprentices, clearing his throat to meow, glancing up at the sun, which was high in the sky, "The only rules are that you two must hunt alone, and that you two must not speak with me until the assessment is over, which will be at sundown."

The two nodded, and he added before they left, "Icepaw you should hunt towards the Great Birch, and Barkpaw you can hunt near the stream towards ShadowClan territory, may StarClan light both of your paths, good luck, and make sure to meet me back here." The two cats nodded quickly and set off, Foxflame waiting a little bit before following Icepaw's trail. He followed her scent, making sure not to follow it directly, but to the side a few tail-lengths to avoid being seen.

Her scent grew stronger up ahead, beyond a small patch of ferns and moss, so Foxflame quietly climbed up a tree, clawing his way up the rough bark and onto a thick branch. Icepaw was crouched low in a well formed hunting stalk, he saw her eyes fixed intently on a plump shrew as it sniffed through a clump of fallen leaves. The she-cat double checked that she was downwind before slinking forward more, pausing for a heartbeat to tense her muscles before leaping, scooping the shrew a little two far away, and the small creature scrambled back up, but it wasn't fast enough as the apprentice grabbed its spine in her jaws before it could let out a warning call.

Foxflame nodded slightly as she buried her prey, scraping earth over the fresh-kill so it wouldn't attract other predators as she continued hunting, her mouth open to catch stray scents. Foxflame followed her for a little while longer to see her skillfully bring down a starling before he ducked away to find Barkpaw.

He found the other apprentices scent trail and followed the staler scents, he probably came through about an hour or so ago. Foxflame found scattered feathers and a few spots of blood from where Barkpaw had brought down what was probably a crow, from the inky black colors of the feathers. The large toms scent grew stronger as Foxflame continued on, so he slunk into the cover of a thick green bush.

The large toms bulky shape could be seen through the undergrowth that hid Foxflame, he could see the tom crouched low, his tail perfectly still as his fierce eyes were set intensely on a furry-tailed squirrel as it nibbled on an acorn on the gnarled root of a tree. The apprentice stalked forward silently, not making a sound as he stepped across the grass, pausing to bunch his muscles before leaping. He let out a hiss of satisfaction as the squirrels terrified squeal was cut off abruptly as his claws met its throat.

Foxflame nodded, satisfied with the apprentices form and technique as he crept back away to go to the meeting place, making sure he would get there before the apprentices did. He breathed in the warm newleaf air, the forest seemed quiet and peaceful around him. Thats when he realized, the forest didn't just seem quiet where he was, it really was quiet, and not just quiet, it was utterly silent.

He stopped, perking his ears and scenting the air to catch straying scents or sounds, and still the forest was silent. A strange sensation began creeping over him, and suddenly the quiet forest didn't seem peaceful anymore, it felt deadly. The fur along his spine bristled in fear, and he couldn't tell why, that is, until a rough voice caused him to leap into the air with a yowl of alarm, "It is quite wonderful to meet you face to face, Foxflame."

He reeled around with a hiss, unsheathing his claws just in case, the cat was definitely large, but Foxflame couldn't get a good look at him until the shape flickered and disappeared. "Where are you?" Foxflame hissed, fear still settling like a stone in his belly. "Oh don't worry I just want to talk to you, to warn you of course." The voice cooed. He whipped toward the sound but nothing was there, cold fear causing his hind legs to tremble. "You see, StarClan stripped you of your memories after that dream you had, its why you were thought to be dead." Foxflame tensed and pinned his ears, "How do you know, and if you were there, then what-"

"I will not tell you what happened during the dream Foxflame, after all its to wonderful to see you squirm with want, now onto the warning matter, your heart will destroy you, Foxflame" The strange cats voice snickered, and Foxflame hissed, "What do you mean?" A dark chuckle sounded from behind him, but Foxflame saw no cat when he looked. "You are a fool, you are all fools, you cannot even see what is right in front of you! The clans will be destroyed, ravaged, but you will not be here for that, your heart will be your end."

Foxflame clamped his jaws to keep his teeth from chattering as another cold shiver went down his spine, fear clouding his mind as the voice continued. "I am here to warn you, to help you and your clan." Foxflame couldn't control the shaking in his meow as he stammered,"T-then whats the warning?"

Another dark chuckle sent fear rolling over him once more, "Death, death is the answer, the warning, and the only thing that can save your precious clans, but nothing can save you." Foxflame growled, spinning in a circle to find the cat, "Where are you? What do you mean death is the answer?" He staggered back when he came muzzle-to-muzzle with a massive tom, fierce yellow eyes boring into his as the cat meowed, "Time will tell Foxflame, time will tell."

Foxflame could hear his heart pounding against his chest as he got a good look at the cat, the first thing he noticed was the shadows swirling from his pelt, the cat had a white patch of fur on one of his eyes, and as quickly as Foxflame got a look at him, he began to fade. Foxflame meowed, his voice raspy with fear, "Who are you?" Another dark laugh filled his ears as the cat disappeared, the yellow eyes boring into his mind before they too disappeared, a voice, no louder then a whisper, "My name is Shadeheart, and don't forget, death is the answer, the warning, and the only thing to save the clans, but only one cat can kill the bringer of destruction, the bringer of death, the bringer of the dusk of the clans..."

Foxflame was stunned out of his words for a heartbeat before he asked, "Who is this cat? Who is the cat that will bring destruction and who can kill this cat, who?!" There was only a whisper of reply, "You already know." And like that, the birds began chirping once more, and the feeling of danger was gone.

Foxflame shook his head, my heart will be the end of me? Death is the answer? A cat that can only be killed by one? And what did they mean, I already know who this cat is...? Foxflame thought, then he shook his head, dismissing the troubles from his mind as he continued padding over to meet the apprentices, as if nothing were wrong, he only wished he could forget it all, blow it all off like a breeze blows a tiny fallen leaf, or as the newleaf sun melts away snow, if only it was that easy.