A small rustle in the bushes lead Dawnsky to a tiny mouse that was collecting berries and totally unaware of the danger behind it. Dawnsky got into the hunter's position and crept steadily towards the small creature. Normally, she wouldn't go for such a scrawny mouse, but this was the only thing that she was able to find the whole time she was hunting. She quickly pounced on the mouse and killed it instantly. She buried it by the bush so she could get it later, her stomach growled in protest. Before I eat, the clan must eat, Dawnsky kept telling herself, trying to ignore the growing pain in her stomach.

That was not the only pain she felt; Dawnsky was hurting all over. She couldn't believe all of the damage she had caused her clan for making the wrong decision. She missed her sister and her apprentice more than anything in the world right now, they were both so young... and poor Grassblade... he lost his mate and two of his kits within 3 moons! She dipped her head, thinking of Silvermoon. She didn't know how she could handle so much grief all at once. She lashed her tail and turned around, taking a deep breath. I must be strong... she willed herself onward. She took another step and gasped as a large bird flew right in front of her face, cawing angrily as it flew away. "Fox dung! I didn't even notice it!" she spat, clawing the grass angrily as the bird flew to the top of the tree and started cawing again, as if it was mocking her.

"Hey, it's okay!" mewed a cat from behind her. She whipped her head around and was relieved to see it was only Willowfur.

"You scared me! I thought you were a rogue." Dawnsky exclaimed.

Willowfur smiled a little, "Sorry. I was just coming to help you hunt... if you need me." she mewed shyly.

She sighed in relief, "That would be great, thanks." She needed to be around someone right now.

Willowfur had already caught the trail of something, and she was moving deeper into the undergrowth. Dawnsky sighed; she had never really spent much time with Willowfur, since she was always so quiet and Dawnsky was shy as well. She's my only family now..... she sighed sadly. Willowfur appeared again, carrying a nice-sized thrush.

"Great catch!" Dawnsky praised, her stomach rumbling again.

"Thanks." she mumbled through a mouthful of feathers. She quickly set the fresh kill down by Dawnsky's mouse.

The snow was falling a little harder now, and Dawnsky shivered and shook the flurries off of her already wet pelt. Willowfur was flinging some of the cold snow off of her sensitive paw pads, and she accidentally flung some on Dawnsky's muzzle, "Sorry!" she mewed.

Dawsnky smiled mischievously and flicked some on her ear. She squeaked in surprise and narrowed her eyes playfully. She dug her paw in the snow and smeared it all over Dawnsky's pelt.

"Hey, that's cold!" she laughed. Willowfur chuckled, sitting down by her and giving her a mischievous smile. Dawnsky sighed. It felt good to laugh; she hadn't laughed in what felt like moons.

Willowfur looked as if she was feeling the same thing, "I'm glad you're back." she purred.

Dawnsky nodded, "Me too..." she looked up at the sky. It was getting pretty dark, "We should head back, the prey is probably hiding because of the cold." she suggested, picking up her mouse and walking back towards camp.

She looked back when she saw that Willowfur wasn't following her, "Uh Willowfur? You there?"

Willowfur looked up at Dawnsky, her eyes filled with curiosity, "Dawnsky, where were you when you were away?"

She stiffened, her fur fluffing out a little, "I...I was far away from here." she said, her eyes narrowing from the painful memories of Bear and her kits.

Willowfur sighed, knowing that Dawnsky was not going to reveal anything else, "Oh...."

Dawnsky turned her head around and kept walking. Willowfur caught up with her, carrying the thrush firmly in her jaws. Once they reached the camp, Dawnsky placed her catch in the small fresh kill pile, followed by Willowfur's thrush. She groomed her ruffled pelt, looking at the camp. Warriors had poked their heads out of their dens, and looked hungrily at the two pieces of fresh kill. Firepaw padded up and grabbed the thrush to take it back to the nursery. Raggedpelt was expecting kits and they would be coming any time now. No one knew who father was, though, and everyone seemed fine that way.

Dragonpaw shuffled to the fresh kill pile, her eyes dull with grief over her mother and two brothers. She reluctantly grabbed the mouse and took it to Smallface, who was dying of the greencough. Dawnsky closed her eyes, wishing that it was new leaf, when her clan thrived the most. She thought of the lush, green grass and the seemingly endless amount of prey. She opened her eyes back to reality and saw the dull, lifeless camp with the empty fresh kill pile. When will the troubles ever end?

***

Dawnsky woke up in a large meadow, and she could see Star Clan cats hunting everywhere and enjoying themselves. Her stomach growled loudly. I wonder what Oakfoot has to say to me now.... she thought grumpily.

Just then, Oakfoot appeared in front of her. He greeted her with his tail held high, "Dawnsky!" He purred, "I'm so proud of you for coming back to IceClan."

Dawnsky flicked her tail, "Why did you allow such a terrible famine to happen to my clan?" She growled, "So many lives were taken!"

He looked sober, "Yes, and there is someone who would like to speak with you now..."

Speckledpath came out behind him, her dappled pelt looked plush and there was a bright gleam in her emerald eyes, "Hello, Dawnsky."

Dawnsky immediately rushed up to her sister, happily sharing tongues with her, "Oh, Speckledpath! I missed you so much!"

Speckledpath sighed, "And I missed you, too. Nightpelt told me about the rogue." She narrowed her eyes, giving Dawnsky a stern glance.

She stepped back and laughed nervously, "Yeah.... I.... wasn't thinking."

Oakfoot looked at the two and spoke up, "Speckledpath, Dawnsky was punished enough for running off with him. You must get to the point, we don't have much time..."

Dawnsky wished she could have all the time in the world to talk to her sister, but she knew that it would never be that way as long as she was still in IceClan, "Oh, Speckledpath!" She cried, "I don't know how much more grief I can take. I really am trying!"

Speckledpath stared at her sympathetically, "I know, Dawnsky. And you are doing great. But you must be strong." She paused, looking unsure of what she was about to say, "Dawnsky, you have a more difficult life than most.... and it isn't going to be any easier in the future."

Dawnsky lashed her tail in annoyance, "Oh wow, thanks for that!" She said sarcastically.

Speckledpath held her breath for a second, "What I am trying to tell you is.... well.... you are different from most others. And by that I mean your future is unclear to us."

"Wait, what?!" She gasped, "But, but you're Star Clan! You're supposed to know what will happen!"

"We don't always have that kind of power, especially not when cats make promises with dark forest cats!" She spat.

"Hey! I was only a kit!" Dawnsky protested, "and what do you mean by that?"

"Well, basically we don't have the power to know exactly what will be in your future. Because of the promise you made, we can see the effects of both sides of your decision, but we don't know which side you will pick." She explained nervously, "And that means we can't always help you in your difficult situations..."

"So that means.... I'm on my own?" She stiffened.

"No! We will always be here to guide you, but you must make the right decision for your clan." She mewed soberly.

Dawnsky began to feel anger build up inside her, when suddenly, she remembered something, "Wait a second... so that prophecy you gave me about my kits, you didn't know which path I would choose! So that means that when I made the right decision, I proved your prophecy wrong!"

"Well actually it doesn't work like-"

"And that means my kit won't fall to the darkest depths like you told me!" she mewed triumphantly.

Speckledpath tried to speak again, "But Dawnsky-"

"Just let her go..." Oakfoot sighed.

Speckledpath flicked her tail, looking worried for her sister, "Goodbye, Dawnsky." she mewed, "And remember what I told you. Your future is unclear, so please make the right decision."

Dawnsky looked up, "But Speckledpath! Please wait! I-" The two starry warriors were already gone, and Dawnsky drifted back into the darkness.