The WindClan cats headed across the moor toward fourtrees, their pelts lined with silver under the light of the full moon. Starfaith and Silverberry padded close to the front of the group with Gladestar and Monarchwing.

"It's a bit warmer tonight," Monarchwing was commenting to her leader, her black tipped tail trailing over the grass. "I'm glad I won't be freezing my paws off at this gathering."

Gladestar let out an amused purr. "That makes two of us. Hopefully leaf-bare is a long way off. And let's hope that Strawberrystar is in a good mood." She added, her greenish yellow eyes glinting with amusement.

The orange and black she-cat snorted. "Wouldn't that be a miracle?"

The warm air does feel nice. Starpaw thought as she padded alongside her mentor, looking ahead as they neared the fourtrees clearing. Her heart was even warmer as she thought about seeing Dewstorm. I can't wait to talk to him.

It had been a quarter moon since that wonderful night at the moonstone. After listening to the advice of Iceslide, a warrior of StarClan, she had decided to push away her worries and open up her heart to Dewstorm. Almost every other night, she and the ShadowClan medicine cat met in secret, often by the border. Other times they would go beyond the clan boundaries in the hills where no cat could stumble upon them. They would joke around, exchange clan news, and discuss different herbs and remedies. Sometimes they would spend the night laying in the grass together, simply enjoying each other's company.

I love spending time with him. Starpaw thought happily as they reached the clearing. We're both happy, and we're both staying loyal to our duties. How can that be wrong? She weaved through the crowd of cats, following her leader toward the great rock. 

"Diamondrain is expecting kits," A ShadowClan warrior named Crowmask was meowing, his chest puffed out with pride as Broadwing and Dipfoot congratulated him.

Scorchpaw ran ahead of the group to Rainpaw and Lemonpaw of RiverClan, purring a greeting. Starpaw realized that Tornadopaw hadn't attended this gathering. I hope he's back at camp and staying there. She thought. 

Monarchwing and Jaggedear had spoken to Tornadopaw about his behavior, but the apprentice hadn't seemed to care for a word they had to say. Just a day later, he had run off again, and Gladestar had ordered him to spend the next moon taking care of the elders.

Her ears pricked forward when she saw Dewstorm among the other medicine cats sitting by the roots of one of the great oaks. She resisted the urge to run to him, aware that she couldn't let any cat see how close they were. She maintained her slow pace beside Silverberry, and Dewstorm's eyes brightened when he noticed her arrival.

When they reached the other medicine cats, Silverberry bumped her head against Otterpelt's in greeting. Hawkfeather was already conversing with Spicewhisker and Ryeheart. 

With a friendly purr, Starpaw sat beside Dewstorm, curling her fluffy tail around her. "Hello," She meowed brightly.

"Hello, Starpaw," Dewstorm meowed, dipping his head politely. "How are you?"

She studied him, catching his reserved tone. When they were around the other medicine cats, they couldn't show any affection between them. But they'd always been very friendly. He's not quite himself... "Are you alright?" She asked worriedly.

He hesitated, his gray spotted tail twitching uneasily. "I'm fine," He meowed quietly.

He's not fine. What has happened? Her stomach twisted in anxiety. She opened her jaws to question him further, but just then, Strawberrystar's yowl from above interrupted. 

"Welcome, cats of all clans. Let the gathering begin!" The ThunderClan leader announced. The cats quieted below, and Starpaw cast Dewstorm a concerned look before following his gaze to the great rock.

"ThunderClan is very well," Strawberrystar began, her amber eyes fixed down on her clanmates. "We have two new apprentices this moon. Batpaw and Darkpaw!"

"Batpaw! Darkpaw!" The ThunderClan cats started the chant, and cats from the other clans quickly joined in. 

Starpaw turned her head and saw the two apprentices sitting side by side, their chests puffed out proudly. Though they were siblings, you couldn't tell by looking at them. Batpaw was lean and smaller than his brother, who had long fur and broad shoulders.

When the cheering died down, Strawberrystar stepped back and looked toward Depthstar. "Would you care to speak next?" She asked, her tone almost implying a challenge.

The ShadowClan leader slowly nodded. "Very well." He took her place at the front of the great rock, his dark blue eyes solemn as he began speaking. "ShadowClan has sad news to share this moon," He meowed quietly.

The cats in the clearing murmured to one another curiously, and Starpaw looked aside at Dewstorm questioningly. But his attention was fixed on his leader, as well as Hawkfeather's. 

"A few days ago, one of our queens, Poppywing, was expected to have her kits," Depthstar meowed, his tone low and solemn. "We're sad to say that something went wrong during her kitting, and she died before any kits could arrive."

As the cats below gasped and murmured sympathetically, the ShadowClan leader continued speaking over them. "Her mate, Rainheart, was devastated at the loss. Before any cat could stop him, he chose to end his life by surrendering himself to a fox."

As more gasps and cries of dismay rose from the gathered cats, Starpaw turned to Dewstorm, letting out a shocked gasp. "I'm so sorry!" 

She thought back to how Willowtail had lost Icetail and two of her kits not long ago. At least Willowtail and Thistlekit survived... Everything was lost in the case of Rainheart and Poppywing.

Dewstorm didn't seem to hear her. He was exchanging a look with Hawkfeather, something unreadable flickering in their dim eyes. The brown spotted medicine cat narrowed his eyes at Dewstorm and shook his head, looking back up at Depthstar.

The death of a queen is a loss for any medicine cat. Starpaw thought sympathetically. They must feel like they've failed. She moved closer to Dewstorm and rested her tail around him. He looked away from Hawkfeather and blinked at her gratefully.

"Rainheart and Poppywing were fine young warriors who would have been fine parents," Depthstar concluded, lowering his head. "They hunt safely with StarClan now."

As he stepped back, Frostedstar dipped his head in respect. "I'm very sorry for ShadowClan's loss," He meowed quietly. 

"Yes," Gladestar agreed solemnly. "May StarClan light the paths of Rainheart and Poppywing."

Depthstar nodded quietly. "Thank you." He paused before adding, "Despite the loss, ShadowClan remains strong. Bloomfire and Diamondrain are expecting kits, and our apprentices are training well."

As Frostedstar stepped to the front of the rock and began speaking for RiverClan, Starpaw couldn't help but be distracted by Dewstorm. He still looks very troubled. She thought. And there seems to be some tension between he and Hawkfeather. I hope he isn't being too hard on Dewstorm about Poppywing.

When the gathering came to an end, Gladestar leaped down from the great rock, and Silverberry waved her tail to the other medicine cats before following. 

Starpaw turned to Dewstorm. "I'll see you soon," She meowed, disappointed that they hadn't been able to talk.

"Yeah." The ShadowClan medicine cat hesitated and leaned closer. "Meet me by the border tomorrow at sunrise," He murmured in her ear. "I'll tell you everything then."

She nodded, puzzled, but aware that now wasn't the time to ask questions. She noticed how uneasy he looked and touched her nose to his ear reassuringly before turning and hurrying after Silverberry and Gladestar.

As she headed through the crowd of cats, her mind raced with confusion. He'll tell me everything tomorrow. What could he mean? What more is there to tell about Poppywing and Rainheart's deaths? 

***

The dim light of morning hazed over the WindClan camp, tinting the grass with silver. Starpaw slowly blinked open her eyes and shifted in her nest, flicking her gaze toward the entrance of the den. It's nearly sunrise. She thought. I have to go meet with Dewstorm.

She sat up in her nest and stretched her jaws in a quiet yawn, looking toward Silverberry. She was still asleep, her silver flank rising and falling slowly. Starpaw stood and cautiously began padding past her sleeping mentor, something she'd become very good at since she started meeting with Dewstorm.

She stepped out of the den, drinking in the cool morning air. She was about to head across the camp when she thought of Willowtail. I should see how she is. She changed direction and went over to the nursery, peering inside.

What she saw surprised her. The tabby queen was curled up in her nest with Thistlekit snuggled against her pale belly. Blazinglight was laying against her with his chin rested on her shoulder. All three cats were sound asleep. 

Starpaw held back a purr, her heart warming. I'm proud of my brother. I think he's made Willowtail a lot happier since Icetail's death.   

She watched the dozing cats for a moment longer before turning and exiting the camp. She purred a polite greeting to the warriors on guard: Thunderjolt and Featherblaze, who didn't question her. It wasn't unusual for a medicine cat to go out early to look for herbs.

She padded through the thick, cool grass, looking up as the first rays of sunlight stretched out over the pine forest in the distance. When she neared the border, she saw Dewstorm sitting in the grass, waiting patiently with his tail curled around him.

When she reached him, he stood up and touched noses with her. "I'm so glad to see you," He murmured. "Are you alright?"

"I am." Starpaw licked his cheek fur, then sat down and looked at him worriedly. "Are you alright? What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Dewstorm's eyes flickered with hesitation. "No cat outside of ShadowClan is supposed to know this," He meowed, looking guilty as he spoke. "Depthstar and Hawkfeather would be furious if they knew that I told you. But I trust you, and I need to talk to someone about this. We've always confided in each other before, and it's helped."

"I won't tell any cat," Starpaw promised, growing more and more curious about this secret. 

He sat down slowly and lowered his head, then raised his eyes to meet hers. "There is more to Rainheart and Poppywing's story than what was told at the gathering last night," He admitted. "One kit was born before she died."

Starpaw's spirits lifted when she heard this. "A kit survived? That's wonderful!" When she saw how serious and uneasy he looked, she added. "Isn't it?"

"I think so..." Dewstorm hesitated. "He was born covered in Poppywing's blood. And his fur is a dark red." He lowered his gaze. "Hawkfeather believes that it's an omen from StarClan. He's certain that Bloodkit is going to harm ShadowClan one day." 

"Bloodkit?" Starpaw echoed with a gasp. "Who- Why would any cat call him that?" The name itself was very foreshadowing in regards to Hawkfeather's supposed omen. It was no surprise that he was worried.

The ShadowClan medicine cat sighed. "I know, it's not an ideal name, especially in his situation. Bloomfire told us that it was Rainheart's last request before he died. She refused to ignore it, and I can't really blame her. He was her brother, and it is his kit."

Starpaw listened silently, deep in thought as he added. "Bloomfire and Flameheart are raising him as their own. Bloodkit will never know the truth about his real parents."

When Dewstorm went silent and stared at his paws, Starpaw sighed. "I'm sorry, Dewstorm," She murmured and placed her paw over his. "Is Hawkfeather sure it's an omen?"

"It's what he truly believes," He meowed quietly, looking deeply troubled. "The moment Bloodkit was discovered, he said that it was an omen. He sounded so sure of himself." He hesitated. "It's deeply effected him. Half of the time, he's talking to me about Bloodkit and trying to figure out ways to prevent him from destroying ShadowClan. He's completely paranoid about it."

Starpaw looked at him thoughtfully. "What do you think about Bloodkit?"

"He's just a kit," Dewstorm meowed. "I don't believe his birth was an omen of any kind. If something so serious was going to happen to our clan, StarClan would have given us a prophecy, or a more direct warning. I believe that Bloodkit is a miracle. We believed Rainheart, Poppywing, and any kits were lost. Yet a life was saved. That's not a bad sign to me." He raised his head and stared at her. "What do you think, Starpaw?" He asked. "You're closer with StarClan than any cat."

She hesitated as she thought about the situation. It could be an omen... A kit born in blood is very unusual. And if his birth caused the death of his parents, it may very well have been an example, a warning of the further deaths that he will cause. But seeing the troubled look on Dewstorm's face kept her from telling him this. 

He's stressed enough about this. She thought sympathetically. I need to help him through this by supporting him. Besides, Dewstorm is a great medicine cat. He would know a true message from StarClan when he saw one. I trust his opinion. 

She leaned forward and rubbed her head against his. "Every medicine cat interprets things differently," She meowed gently, choosing her words carefully. "Hawkfeather has his opinion, and you have yours. StarClan will reveal which one of you is right." She paused. "If you believe that Bloodkit is harmless, I think you're right. What harm could a kit do?"

Dewstorm sighed and leaned against her, and she rested her chin on his head. "I hope I'm right," He meowed quietly. "I don't want anything to happen to my clanmates. And I don't want Bloodkit to become a traitor. He's a survivor. He's meant to become a great warrior."

"He will be." Starpaw reassured him, gently licking his head. "If you believe it, than I will believe it too." As Dewstorm began to purr quietly, she couldn't help but doubt her own words. I hope so, Dewstorm... What if Hawkfeather is right about Bloodkit?