"Blackfang? Blackfang no!"

Aspenpaw raised her head. Xerxes was shaking the older cat frantically. She could tell from the limp way his body was rocking back and forth that Blackfang had not survived the night. Dry slipped out of the nest beside her and laid her tail across his shoulders. "I'm so sorry." She murmured.

"It's not fair!" he muttered, finally ending his frenzied attempt to wake his father. "I didn't have enough time..."

Aspenpaw trotted over and sat on his other side. "He walks in Starclan now."

"Pfft." Sniffed Xerxes. "Starclan..." He looked up at her. "That's not a comfort to me. There is no Starclan. It's just a kit story."

Dry looked up at him surprised. "How can you say that?"

Aspenpaw tipped her head. "You actually think that?"

"Yes." He said looking back at his father's body. "He's gone and... I've lost the only chance I had to know him..."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why did you come here?"

He looked up at her, his anger beginning to show. "You know why. I came to find him."

"Yes... but why now?"

He made a little shrugging motion. "I don't know... just... a feeling I guess."

"Then don't you think it's possible that maybe... just maybe that was Starclan guiding you here to bring him peace?"

He said nothing, just looked at her for a long moment, the angered expression on his face clearing a little.

"Young ones?" murmured a voice from the entrance of the den. They looked up as Harestar entered. "I don't like to rush you, but dawn has come." The old cat's eyes came to rest on his clanmate. "Oh Blackfang..." he murmured moving forward and touching his nose to the cat's head. "Starclan has gained a fine warrior tonight." He looked up at Xerxes. "I'm truly sorry young one."

"I should have gotten here sooner." He muttered looking away. "It's... not fair..."

Harestar nodded. "It must seem so that we had a whole lifetime with him when you barely had one night. He was only an apprentice when I became leader. He will be missed most sincerely."

Xerxes looked up at the old leader. "What was he like?"

"A pain in the tail." Harestar said with a flick of his tail. "But what apprentice isn't." He glanced at Xerxes, his eyes warm. "By the looks of it, the mouse doesn't fall far from the prey pile."

Xerxes just blinked back at him. "He was a troublemaker?"

"His heart was in the right place, but he wasn't much for following the rules." Harestar gave a little purr. "But looking back, it should have been expected. Being displaced from his home clan, going to a strange place... and cats struggle to accept what's different. There was a lot of fights after Shadowclan fell."

"Shadowclan?" A glimmer of happiness flitted over his face. "He was a Shadowclan cat?"

"He was." Nodded Harestar. "And proud of it."

"He told my mother he was a Shadowclan cat."

"That doesn't surprise me." Nodded Harestar, looking sadly back at the warrior's body. "I really am sorry young ones, but it is time for you to go."

Xerxes nodded. "Just... a few more moments, and we'll go."

Harestar nodded before looking at Aspenpaw and Dry. "Your other friend is outside. Let's not keep him waiting too long."

As he said it, Aspenpaw suddenly realised that Icepaw was not in the nest he had gone to sleep in. She glanced over her shoulder and gestured to Dry that they should leave. As she exited, she looked back at Xerxes and Harestar, both of them sitting with their heads lowered over Blackfang's body. She left them alone to grieve.

Once outside, she spotted Icepaw at once. She went to move over to him when she paused. He was talking animatedly to a cat she had never seen before, his tail waving in an amicable way. For her part, the stranger seemed just as welcoming to his presence. She was quite a pretty thing, her cream fur had ginger and grey patches and she had enormous green eyes. They sparkled as she laughed at something that he had just said. In spite of herself, Aspenpaw felt a flash of jealousy. She sat down and cleared her throat loudly.

Icepaw turned and looked at her. "Aspenpaw!" he called. "Come here, I want to introduce you."

She blinked at how unashamed he was at being caught being so friendly to a Windclan cat outside of a gathering. To humour him, she got up and moved forward, Dry sticking close to her side. "Icepaw..." She muttered nodding to him before turning her gaze on the stranger.

"This is Maplepaw." Icepaw said gesturing to the she-cat. "We met at the last gathering. She's only been an apprentice for two moons too."

"How nice." Said Aspenpaw curtly looking back at the Windclan apprentice.

"Icepaw was telling me how you were made an apprentice at five moons." Said Maplepaw, her eyes wide with interest. "Did you show talent while you were a kit?"

"I don't know for definite..." muttered Aspenpaw glaring at Icepaw. Why was he telling cats from other clans things like this? "I feel I should probably tell you both that Blackfang died last night."

Icepaw's eyes widened and he glanced back at the medicine den, while Maplepaw's face crumpled. "Oh no! No!" she whimpered. "I better go and tell Mudpaw..." As she turned she glanced back at Icepaw. "I'll... see you at the next gathering..."

He nodded. "See you there."

Aspenpaw waited until she had disappeared around the boulder before cuffing Icepaw over the ear. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

He lowered his gaze. "What? We're just friends."

"She likes you! It's so obvious."

He seemed to brighten for a moment. "You think?"

"That's not a good thing!" she reminded him. "She's Windclan. You're Thunderclan."

He blinked at her for a moment. "So, Xerxes must be pretty upset..." he said, changing the topic.

"Very." Nodded Dry, clearly uncomfortable about their argument. "I can't say I blame him though. It must be hard to come all this way just to lose him again."

Aspenpaw nodded, and glanced over her shoulder as the dark tom emerged from the medicine den, followed closely by Harestar. He walked slowly over to where the three of them stood and stopped, not looking at any of them. "I'm ready to go now."

Harestar sat and surveyed them carefully. "Go carefully now young ones." He mewed. "I wish I could say that you are always welcome, but we all know that that is not how the clans work."

Aspenpaw and Icepaw nodded while Dry looked confused. "We thank you for your hospitality." Murmured Aspenpaw. "And rest assured that we will not be on Windclan territory again unless it is an emergency."

Harestar nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. Now go, and may Starclan light your path."

The four young cats turned and walked steadily out of the camp, careful not to wake any of the sleeping cats that were lying sprawled around the central rock. They clambered up out of the scoop in the earth. Aspenpaw glanced around and nodded them forward before breaking into a run. The others bounded along behind her until they reached the forest. She finally slowed down before turning to the others. "Are we all ok? Dry?" The she cat nodded enthusiastically. "Xerxes?" The tom shrugged. "Alright let's get back to camp. Come on."

"You didn't ask me." Mewed Icepaw trotting after her as she turned and began to stride through the forest.

"I'm mad at you." She snapped back.

"Why? Because of Maplepaw?" he looked surprised. "We're allowed friends outside of the clans as long as we're not going to like side with them over our clan in a battle..." He paused. "Or is there more to this? Is it because I'm friends with other cats?"

Before she could tell him how ridiculous that was, a shriek rang out. She turned. "What in Starclan..."

"It came from downhill." Said Icepaw running forward to a small bolder that the cats often used to get a good look downhill. Aspenpaw stepped up beside him. A dark shape was streaking through the undergrowth. She didn't recognise him by sight or by scent. Suddenly there was a terrible bellowing noise and a horrific stench touched her scent glands.

"What is that?" Xerxes muttered behind them, making a little retching noise.

Aspenpaw didn't respond as she watched the huge black and white creature lumbering through the bushes in pursuit of the dark cat. It was swiping at him, it's huge claws just missing as he ran.

Icepaw looked at her. "Come on, we have to help him."

She nodded before looking back at Dry and Xerxes. "You two get back to the camp. We're going to try to stop that badger."

"A badger?" Xerxes looked up, his eyes lighting up. "Let me help you take it down. I can live up to my father's legacy."

"Or you could die!" snapped Aspenpaw.

"Well, I'm going to help!" he mewed defiantly, stepping around her and beginning to run down towards the badger.

"No, you mousebrain!" yelped Icepaw running after him.

Aspenpaw looked back at Dry. "Get back to camp. Tell Ravencall there's a badger in the forest and to send warriors to fight it."

"Got it." She nodded sprinting in the direction of the camp.

Aspenpaw turned and began to run after Xerxes and Icepaw. After a few moments, she heard a yowl up ahead of her and put on a spurt. She emerged into a clearing where the strange cat was up against a tree, battering the snout of the badger with his front paws. Icepaw ran at the badger from the side, springing in and slashing at the badger's side. Without thinking, Aspenpaw imitated him on the badger's other side, the two of them darting in and out, slashing and jumping away. The badger angrily threw its head from side to side, before suddenly turning away from the stranger and beginning to lumber away. For a moment Aspenpaw thought they had won and couldn't believe it had been so easy when she realised the badger had simply changed target. Xerxes stood at the edge of the clearing, frozen in terror as the badger lumbered forward. It reared above him beginning to bring it's claw down.

"Xerxes, move!" yowled Icepaw flinging himself at the dark tom and pushing him away from the badger's claw. It seemed to happen in slow motion. Xerxes was flung forward but Icepaw put himself where he had been. The badger's huge paw hit him and sent him flying across the clearing. He hit the floor and his fluffy white body went limp as he bounced away. He finally stopped at the foot of a tree and didn't move.

Aspenpaw watched in horror as her foster brother was flung about like a moss ball. For what could only have been a heartbeat or two, she stood, staring at him before her disbelief turned to rage. With a screech, she ran forwards. The badger turned towards the sound and as it turned its face towards her, she leapt, her claws extending as far as they could. The badger seemed to realise too late what was about to happen and opened its mouth to either bellow or snap at her but it was just too late. She landed on its muzzle and sank her claws into its beady eyes, feeling the flesh around the eyeballs tear as she ripped her claws downwards.

The badger roared in pain, rearing up and shaking its head as blood spurted from its eyes. She sprang from his head and got herself away from its range of attack, gesturing with her tail for Xerxes to come to her. He quickly skirted around the badger which was blindly shaking its head, trying to find it's bearings.

"What now?" he hissed as he approached her.

She scanned the clearing, very aware all of a sudden that Icepaw was not going to be able to help her fight. It was just her and Xerxes. She needed maximum damage with minimum injuries. She glanced at the kittypet, taking in his strong muscles and long claws, before thinking of her own attack knowledge and quiet paws. "Alright I've got a plan." She mewed quickly. "It can't see us anymore. I'm going to distract it, you are going to creep up behind it, jump on top and make your way to its throat. When you get there, stick your claws in and tear it's throat open."

He glanced at the badger. "Why don't I do it from the front?"

"It'll smell you. It'd have its teeth in you before you even got close. Now be careful. Apparently sometimes they'll throw themselves on their backs to get cats off. Don't let it feel you."

"I can jump on a fence without making it shake." He muttered. "This'll be a piece of cake."

"What about me?" She looked up at the strange dark cat, a little surprised to find him directly behind her. "What should I do?"

"You'll help me distract it." She muttered urgently. "You saw what we were doing before?" He nodded. "Do that!" she hissed before launching herself at the badger again.

It never heard her coming and she was suddenly grateful for her quiet paws. She leapt up, raking her claws along the badger's side. It turned towards her in surprise. As it did so, she slid under its belly, raking her claws as she went. As she slipped out, it threw itself down on the floor in an attempt to crush her. As it's body hit the floor, Xerxes streaked past her, leaping high and landing lightly on the badger's back. If it felt him, it did not react. On the other side, the stranger leapt forward, raking his own claws along the badger's side. It jumped up, clearly confused. She darted forward, sinking her teeth into its foreleg. It roared in pain and frustration before suddenly darting its head down faster than she would have expected a badger to move and sinking its teeth into her back. She gave a screech as it did so. The stranger darted forward, sinking his own teeth into one of the badger's other legs, but it was not to be distracted. She almost thought she could feel the creature's satisfaction as it lifted her, it's teeth sinking deeper into her torso. It began to shake her violently. She wailed in terror realising that she was probably about to die.

Then she looked up and saw Xerxes perched carefully on the badger's neck. As it turned its head, he reached down and sank his claws it's throat. As the badger swung it's head the other way, it's throat ripped open.

It gave a scream of pain and fear, releasing her. She dropped to the ground, struggling to her paws. The stranger appeared beside her. "Move, come on!" He hissed, supporting her away from the badger.

She turned and watched as blood poured from the badger's throat. It's opened its jaws again but was beginning to make a guttering choking sound as blood began to flood from its mouth. Xerxes sprang from its back and stood beside them, his eyes narrowed at the badger. The badger swung its head more feebly now before it's legs buckled and it slumped to the ground, jaws parted as though still in last bellow.

Xerxes turned and looked Aspenpaw, his eyes wide. "We did it..." he murmured as though he couldn't believe what had just happened, but Aspenpaw wasn't listening. She had moved away from the stranger and was hobbling as fast as she could to the other side of the clearing. Every move sent pain through her back, but she ignored it as she struggled towards the limp shape of her foster brother.

"Icepaw..." she whispered, near enough collapsing beside him. "Icepaw, are you alright?" The black and white apprentice didn't answer, just lay with his eyes closed. She moved closer. "Icepaw? You can wake up... the badger's dead..." She gently pressed her nose against the side of his head. It rolled back as she drew away. She could hear Xerxes and the stranger walking up behind her. They both seemed to be holding their breath. "Icepaw, you... you need to get up..." she whimpered, gently pressing her forehead against his, willing him to open his eyes and get up... he couldn't be...

Suddenly a little breeze ruffled her whiskers. She frowned as it blew again. She bent her head and sniffed at his nose, watching his side. It was rhythmically rising and falling in time to the little breeze. "He's breathing!" she cried as relief washed over her. "He's breathing!"

Behind her, she heard the stranger give a little sigh, then the pawsteps of many cats. After a few moments of standing with her head pressed against Icepaw's, she felt a tail rest on her shoulder. She looked up at Ravencall who took in her bloodstained pelt, his son's still form, the stranger, Xerxes's bloody claws and finally at the dead badger.

"Do one of you want to tell me exactly what happened here?"