you?"

Shadowheart twitched his ears. "I'm doing better," He shrugged, "You?"

"I'm fine." She shrugged. "I saw Ripplepool out picking herbs on the hunting patrol- she asked me to come and bring you some fresh-kill."

Emily ducked her head out of the den and pulled back in a thrush, and dropped it at Shadowheart's paws. She gave him a quick nod, and bounded out of the den. "I better go too." Meowed Wolfheart, getting up and stretching. "I need to ask Firestar about dusk patrol."

Shadowheart nodded, and Wolfheart padded out of the den. Wolfheart blinked a few times to adjust to the light, and went to see Firestar, who was sharing a squirrel with Rosefur, the new ThunderClan deputy.

"Firestar?" She meowed, taking light steps, to make sure she didn't disturb him if it was something important. Firestar turned his head to face her. "Yes, Wolfheart?" He meowed. "Will I be going on dusk patrol?" She asked. "I wouldn't mind to- I'm getting quite used to it, actually!"

Firestar looked on, as if in thought. "Yes, but Rosefur is leading this time. Help her gather Squirrelflight, Runningwind, Nightpaw and Shadowpaw," He added as Rosefur rose to her paws. "Yes, Firstar." She gave him a respectful nod and went to find Runningwind, the swift ThunderClan warrior. Wolfheart peered through the branches of the warriors' den. Sure enough, he was there- curled in a ball, asleep.

"Runningwind!" She called into the den, "Runningwind, wake up!" Nothing. She slid through the opening and prodded his side. One of his yellow eyes opened and stared at her. "What is it, Wolfheart?" He grumbled. "You're on dusk patrol." She meowed to him. Runningwind gave a lazy nod and yawned, "I'll be there." Then lay his head back on his paws and lay his tail over his nose.

Wolfheart turned and went back out of the warriors den, spotting Rosefur talking to Squirrelflight. Then she saw Nightpaw, eating a mouse with Foxpaw. Wolfheart bounded over to them. "Hello." She meowed as she aproached. "Nightpaw, Firestar has asked me to deliver the info that you are on dusk patrol tonight."

Nightpaw's blue eyes grew, and she nodded excitedly.

Wolfheart turned to go and find Shadowpaw, but she spotted Rosefur, sticking her head into the apprentices' den.

Wolfheart looked up into the canopy of trees that overhung the ThunderClan camp, and saw the pink sky of sunset begin to fall into the indigo sky of night time.

Wolfheart tore through the undergrowth of the forest with Nightpaw high on her heels. The dusk patrol had started- and the cats had caught the badger scent almost immediently once again, and- and the patrol was following the trail. Squirrelflight was in the lead, since she had the best nose, and Shadowpaw took up the back, since every cat knew that he would try to tackle off the first thing that poked him on the back.

Wolfheart slowed as Squirrelflight lifted her tail and stopped, signaling for the others to do the same. Rosefur stepped back up front, and sniffed the air.

Shadowpaw was looking around wildly, his amber eyes gleaming in the dark. Wolfheart rested the tip of her tail on his shoulder, and wispered: "Shh, calm down. If there is something, you'll be the first one it scents and hears."

Shadowpaw settled a bit, and sat down. But Wolfheart could still tell he was itching to attack something. He was so much like his father- loyal and wanting to fight anything.

Suddenly, Rosefur's neck fur bristled, and her muscles tightened. "There's a badger and fox scent! And I believe that there's more than one badger!" She hissed in a loud whisper.

A low growl rumbled in one of the cats throats, and the cats started looking around, trying to detect it. That's when they realized that it wasn't a cat who had growled.

Shadowpaw yowled loudly, and Wolfheart turned to see that his ear was bleeding, and behind him, a fox growled and had Shadowpaw's black ear fur in his claws.

Shadowpaw hissed, and began to spring, but Rosefur yowled out, telling the patrol to flee back to camp.

Wolfheart panted as she reached the clearing of the camp. The dawn light was just about to crawl up above the canopy of trees in the sky. Wolfheart shuddered- a badger and a fox on ThunderClan territory at the same time could be very bad. Wolfheart went to the nursery to warn Hazelheart and Ferncloud to keep the kits close- foxes liked to raid the nursery when the queens weren't looking.

 "Hazelheart?" She mewed into the darkness. Wolfheart heard shuffling, and then saw Hazelheart's eyes open. "Yes, Wolfheart?" She meowed. "There is a fox and badger on ThunderClan territory," mewed Wolfheart, "I would suggest to keep your kits in sight. Tell Ferncloud also."

Hazelheart nodded, and Wolfheart backed out of the nursery back into the clearing of the camp.

The dawn light shimmered in the sky, and tiny droplets of dew hung from leaves and on grass.

Wolfheart looked over at the medicine cats' den to find Shadowheart, sitting outside, twitching his tail. Wolfheart's heart rose with hope, and she bounded over to him.

"You're almost better?" She meowed, tilting her head. Shadowheart nodded. "Ripplepool says that I'm recovering marvelously, and that there is a bigger chance than doubt that I will become a warrior again- a partly disabled warrior, that is."

Wolfheart twitched her tail. "That's great!" She yowled. But Shadowheart was looking beyond her, at the gorse tunnel. His mouth was partly opened to scent the air. Shadowheart jumped up from his spot, and his neck fur bristled.

"Intruding cats!" He hissed. Wolfheart turned to the fern tunnel. Two cats slid through the gorse tunnel- one gray, black and white tortiseshell, and one gray and black tabby with a white underbelly and paws. They carried fear scent.

Shadowheart's neck fur lay flat once more, and he bounded over to the cats, alarmed. But he also wasn't attempting to attack them.

"Storm!" He gasped, "And Patch!"

The two cats stopped cowering, and the gray and black tabby meowed, "Shadow? Why are you here?"

Shadow flicked his tail at Wolfheart, summoning her to come.

"I'm part of this Clan- and I'm Shadowheart now." Shadowheart explained. He looked behind them, as if looking for someone. He frowned. "Where's Thorn?" He meowed. The tortiseshell shuffled its paws. "We don't know." It muttered.

Shadowheart looked back at Wolfheart. Cats were begining to crawl out of their dens in curiosity.

"Wolfheart," He meowed, "These are my sisters- Storm and Patch. And, I had a brother- Thorn- but he's missing."

Wolfheart nodded, still a bit curious. Firestar came padding up to them. "What and who is going on?" He hissed, staring at the two she-cats. Shadowheart explained quickly: "These are my sisters, and they're rouges. They do no harm, Firestar."

Firestar narrowed his eyes. "Well, we are trying to shove two Clans into one camp- I'm afraid we're running out of room."

Shadowheart twitched one ear, and turned to Storm, the tabby. "Why are you guys here?" He asked. "We were hoping for some shelter- there was a badger, and-" Storm was cut off.

"Enough said," meowed a cat, stepping to the front. It was Rosefur. "Firestar, a fox itself could've killed them- we didn't see the badger, but we knew it was there- and that there was more than one. Rouges don't stand a chance on ThunderClan territory, Firestar- allow them shelter for a while, until we get the situation worked out."

Firestar nodded. "You're words are wise, Rosefur- I will allow them to sleep at the prisoners den, since they don't know the Warrior Code, and don't have warrior names- for now. They could turn out like Emily, and decide to join ThunderClan or LeafClan."

Wolfheart thought that she heard Emily meow, "That's right," but she wasn't sure.

Storm and Patch exchanged glances. "We'll stay for a while- but then we must go and find our brother, Thorn."

Firestar nodded. "Emily, take them to the prisoners' nest. And also, I have a few announcements."

Firestar jumped up onto the Highrock, and the Clan looked at him curiously. "We have two apprentices becoming warriors today," He announced, "One from ThunderClan, one from LeafClan. If you would, please come and join me, Wolfstar."

Wolfstar jumped up from her place in the front of the crowd up onto the Highrock. "You first, Firestar." She whispered loud enough for Wolfheart to hear.

 Firestar nodded, and searched the crowd for the certain cat. "Cheetahpaw," He meowed, "please step forward."

The small spotted she-cat that looked as if she were a decendant from LeopardClan bounded to the front, shaking with anxiety.

"Cheetahpaw, do you promise to uphold to Warrior Code, and protect you Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Meowed Firestar, following the ritual. Cheetahpaw's eyes grew wide. "I do." She mewoed. "Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Cheetahpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Cheetahflight, for your speed and ability- and also for your color. StarClan honors you and welcomes you and a full member of ThunderClan."

Firestar jumped down from the Highrock and put his muzzle on Cheetahflight's head. She licked his shoulder.

"Cheetahflight! Cheetahflight!" Cheered the cats. Wolfheart joined in. Wolfheart couldn't hear Firestar, but she thought that she saw him remind her of her vigil sit. She nodded, and padded to the gorse tunnel, where she would sit out