Chapter 4

"No, no! You're doing it wrong!" Longstripe exclaimed.

Ivypaw stopped and let out a groan of exasperation.

"What am I doing wrong?" Ivypaw exclaimed.

"You have to LOOK at your target when you do that move," Longstripe explained.

Ivypaw clenched her teeth in frustration. She had been doing that every time!

"Try again," Longstripe ordered.

Ivypaw turned around and glanced over her shoulder as she kicked her back legs out.

"Better…" Longstripe meowed.

"Alright Lightningpaw, now you try the move," Starlingfeather ordered.

Lightningpaw let out an exasperated sigh. Ivypaw nodded to her in agreement. They had been doing this since sunrise and it was now getting close to sunset. In fact, all the apprentices had been practicing their battle moves all day. All of Windclan was seemed fully convinced Shadowclan would attack soon. The camp was being fortified, border patrols were increased, and Eaglefeather was filling his stores and it had been like that for the past few days. On the bright side however, no one had died in their sleep. Lightningpaw gazed backward and effortlessly kicked her back legs out.

"Put more effort into it!" Starlingfeather hissed.

Lightningpaw sighed and did the move again, this time kicking harder.

"Try the move on Ivypaw," Starlingfeather ordered.

"Ivypaw, you try to keep your balance," Longstripe ordered.

Ivypaw nodded and glanced at Lightningpaw. Her friend whipped around and kicked Ivypaw's side. Ivypaw sank her claws into the dirt which held her in place against the ground.

"Continue fighting!" Starlingfeather ordered.

Lightningpaw slammed her paw against Ivypaw's head. In retaliation, Ivypaw slammed her head against Lightningpaw's chest, knocking her over into the dirt. Ivypaw sheathed her claws and leaped into a fighting stance. Lightningpaw did the same before lunging at Ivypaw and throwing the two into a scuffle. Ivypaw kicked against Lightningpaw's stomach who in turn, pawed against Ivypaw's face and chest. Suddenly, Lightningpaw grabbed Ivypaw's scruff in her jaws and tossed her aside. Before Ivypaw could get up, Lightningpaw pinned her to the ground. Ivypaw kicked at Lightningpaw as hard as she could without hurting her but still could not get free.

"Lightningpaw wins," Starlingfeather announced.

Ivypaw let out a sigh as Lightningpaw backed off her. Ivypaw stood up and shook the dust out of her fur.

"Don't sweat it Ivypaw," Lightningpaw encouraged, "You'll beat me eventually."

"But what if I don't?" Ivypaw sighed.

Lightningpaw affectionately nuzzled Ivypaw's cheek.

"Then you're lucky I'm your clanmate!" Lightningpaw teased.

Ivypaw smiled and pressed against her friend.

"Alright you two," Starlingfeather meowed, slightly teasing, "Let's go hunting before it gets dark."

Lightningpaw and Ivypaw nodded, following their mentors out of the ditch where they were practicing. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw scanned the moor for any sight of prey. Ivypaw caught a white flash out of the corner of her eye and immediately began bolting after it. It was a skinny rabbit. Ivypaw took long strides when suddenly, her paw was caught behind a rock and she flopped down into the grass, flat on her face. Ivypaw looked up and saw the rabbit escape into one of the tunnels. Ivypaw let out a sigh. Lightningpaw was no luckier. She had let a starling get away when she was normally pretty efficient at catching birds. Longstripe and Starlingfeather stepped forward and exchanged glances.

"We're sorry!" Ivypaw and Lightningpaw exclaimed, "I guess we haven't hunted in a while."

"It's not your fault," Longstripe meowed.

"Yes," Starlingfeather agreed, "It was us who haven't taken you two hunting in a while."

Longstripe nodded, "You need to keep all your skills sharp in all areas, not just fighting."

"We can try again!" Ivypaw argued.

Longstripe and Starlingfeather nodded. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw searched for more prey on the moor. Ivypaw spotted a brown rabbit and pelted toward it, this time observing all her surroundings so she wouldn't trip again. The rabbit dashed around, making constant twists and turns in an attempt to escape. Ivypaw followed the rabbit and once she was close enough, lunged forward, sinking her teeth and claws into the rabbit's flesh. Ivypaw held her prey proudly in her jaws as she watched Lightningpaw chase a rabbit. When the rabbit approached her, Ivypaw jumped into it's path. The rabbit screeched to a sudden halt and struggled to turn. However, Lightningpaw lunged at the rabbit before it had a chance to flee and killed it with a swift bite to the neck.

"Great teamwork you two!" Longstripe praised.

Lightningpaw glanced at Ivypaw.

"Thanks," she meowed.

Ivypaw nodded, shyly picking up her prey and beginning to bury it.

"We don't have time for more hunting today," Longstripe meowed, pointing his tail at the sky. The sun was getting close to setting. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw nodded as they grabbed their catches and followed their mentors back to camp. The two apprentices dropped their prey on the pile. Lightningpaw went to grab a raven when a small brown tabby tom grabbed it as well.

"Antpaw?!" Lightningpaw exclaimed, through a mouthful of feathers.

"Hey I grabbed the raven first!" Antpaw argued, dropping it, "It's mine!"

Lightningpaw grabbed the raven in her jaws and began walking away.

"Not anymore brother," Lightningpaw replied, sassily.

Ivypaw let out a giggle. Antpaw hissed and lunged at his sister. Lightningpaw dropped the raven to yowl in surprise. Antpaw went to grab the raven but Lightningpaw knocked him backward with her head. She grabbed the raven and leaped to the top of the pile of rocks in camp. Antpaw ran towards the rocks and stumbled around clumsily as he tried to climb them. His movements were so sloppy that Ivypaw thought the tom was blind. Finally, Antpaw let out an indignant hiss and stomped off. Ivypaw leaped to the top of the rock pile.

"What happened to Antpaw?" Ivypaw asked.

"A tunneler's eyes can sometimes get so well adjusted to the dark that they're clumsy in daylight," Lightningpaw explained, "We call it daylight blindness."

"I hope that doesn't happen to Applepaw and Mistpaw," Ivypaw meowed worriedly.

"It might," Lightningpaw meowed, sitting down, "But it's nothing to worry about. Tunnelers spend most of their time underground anyways."

Lightningpaw took a bite of the raven. Ivypaw sat beside her and began eating. Once the two were done eating, they padded to the apprentices' den and fell asleep after a while.

Ivypaw jerked awake a high​ pitched yowl of distress. Glancing around, Ivypaw noticed that Lightningpaw was also awake.

"What was that?!" Lightningpaw exclaimed.

"Longstripe! Get up!" A voice cried.

Ivypaw leapt to her paws and dashed toward the source of the voice. What was wrong with her mentor?! Ivypaw nearly tripped as she skidded to halt in front of the warriors' den. She let out a gasp as she saw Longstripe lying on the ground in the den, completely unmoving. Ivypaw let out a horrified gasp.

"No," she whispered in horror.

Lightningpaw stopped beside her and gasped. Every cat stood in shocked silence.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Ivypaw cried out, breaking the silence.

Cats began emerging from their dens, gazing at the sight with shocked and concerned faces. Ivypaw's heart pounded as everyone's eyes seemed to be glued on her.

"Longstripe must've died in his sleep," A voice sighed.

Ivypaw looked up to see Amberstar, approaching the tom's limp body with a sorrowful gaze. Amberstar grabbed her brother's body by the scruff and dragged it out of the den and into the clearing. Cries of anguish and shock rose from the clan.

"Cats of Windclan!" Amberstar announced, "Longstripe is dead. His vigil will be held throughout the day!"

Amberstar sat in front of Longstripe's dead body with a sigh. Cats began going their separate ways, some sat vigil for Longstripe and some went out for patrols. Starlingfeather roughly shoved her way through the crowd and stopped in front of the dead body of her mate. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw padded after her. Amberstar, Ivypaw and Lightningpaw all gathered beside Starlingfeather.

"You didn't even get to meet your kits!" Starlingfeather sobbed, resting her paw on Longstripe's shoulder.

Ivypaw sighed and sat down in front of her mentor. Her green eyes began to water with tears.

"You were a great mentor, Longstripe," Ivypaw sighed, "Your death came way too soon."

Lightningpaw pressed against Ivypaw and rested her tail on Ivypaw's back.

"You weren't even my mentor," Lightningpaw added, "And I still think you were a great mentor to me and Ivypaw."

Ivypaw pressed her cheek against Lightningpaw's cheek. Tears streamed down both of their faces. Amberstar took a step closer to Longstripe's body.

"My brother," Amberstar sighed, "The last of my kin. May you find good hunting with the rest of our kin among the stars."

Ivypaw looked up at her leader in awe. All of Amberstar's kin were dead yet she still kept the same strong demeanor she always did. Starlingfeather began grooming the dead body of her mate.

"You were an amazing cat, Longstripe," Starlingfeather murmured, "I don't think I'll find another cat like you. I will raise our kits the best I can."

Ivypaw gazed up at her friend's mentor sympathetically as she backed away and hung her head low. Ivypaw followed her lead, gazing sorrowfully down at her former mentor. As she stared down at Longstripe, she caught something bright red out of the corner of her eyes. Ivypaw's gaze shifted toward Longstripe ear. She noticed a red liquid in Longstripe's ear. Ivypaw thought it was blood at first until she took a closer look. It wasn't a liquid at all. It was a solid. Ivypaw leaned over Longstripe's body and took a quick sniff at the red object. Her eyes widened as she sat up straight again. Deathberry! Just then, it all clicked in her mind. The cats hadn't just died in their sleep, they were intentionally killed in their sleep with poison! Ivypaw looked around wildly. Amberstar was right there. She had to tell her but she couldn't interrupt the vigil. Reluctantly, Ivypaw went back to gazing at Longstripe's corpse. She stayed for the rest of the vigil, unable to push away her horrifying realization. Once it was getting close to sunset, Amberstar stood up and began dragging her brother's body out of camp. Starlingfeather padded after her but Lightningpaw and Ivypaw remained still. Once Amberstar returned, she leapt onto the Highrock and abruptly called a clan meeting. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw padded into the crowd and looked up at Amberstar.

"Due to the death of Longstripe and Starlingfeather's pregnancy," Amberstar announced, "Two apprentices have been left without mentors."

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw's ears pricked with interest.

"Lightningpaw, your new mentor will be Snowpelt," Amberstar announced.

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw exchanged amazed glances. Lightningpaw's new mentor was the deputy of the clan! Lightningpaw padded up to her new mentor and touched noses with him.

"Ivypaw, your mentor will be Cedartail," Amberstar announced.

Ivypaw looked at the brown tom and awkwardly padded toward him. Cedartail was Lightningpaw's father. It seemed a little awkward that Ivypaw's new mentor was her best friend's father. Ivypaw touched noses with her new mentor.

"Snowpelt! Cedartail!" The crowd cheered.

"Clan dismissed!" Amberstar called out abruptly.

The crowd began to disperse, leaving Ivypaw, Lightningpaw and their new mentors alone in the clearing.

"Ivypaw, Lightningpaw," Snowpelt meowed, "Your first task as our apprentices is to collect bedding for the new queen, Starlingfeather."

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw nodded before making their way out of camp. Once they were out of earshot, Lightningpaw let out an annoyed groan.

"Gathering bedding? Really?!" Lightningpaw exclaimed.

Ivypaw was about to respond when she was suddenly reminded of what had occupied her mind throughout the vigil: the deathberry in her dead mentor's ear. Her skin began to prickle with anxiety.

"What's wrong?" Lightningpaw asked.

The two apprentices stopped in front of a moss tree. Ivypaw let out a sigh as she looked up at her best friend.

"I saw something in Longstripe's ear while we were sitting vigil," Ivypaw admitted.

"What was it?" Lightningpaw asked, plucking some moss from the tree.

"A deathberry," Ivypaw replied.

Lightningpaw stopped dead in her tracks. After a few moments of staring bewildered at Ivypaw, she spread out the moss she picked. Ivypaw grabbed the other end of the moss, helping her out with it.

"I think that's how all the cats have been dying," Ivypaw continued, "Poison."

Ivypaw let out a sigh, dropping her end of the moss.

"I know, it sounds crazy-"

"No, I think you're onto something there," Lightningpaw replied, "We'll have to take this news to Amberstar after we give Starlingfeather her moss."

Ivypaw nodded and began helping Lightningpaw straighten out the moss. Once they were done, Ivypaw and Lightningpaw grabbed the moss in their jaws and padded back to camp. They placed the moss down in the nursery, where Starlingfeather was grooming herself.

"Thanks you two," Starlingfeather sighed as she laid down in her new nest.

"I'm sorry about Longstripe," Lightningpaw replied.

Ivypaw nodded, "We miss him too," she added.

"I hope he's found his way to Starclan," Starlingfeather sighed, "Where he can be safe."

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw both nodded.

"He will live on in your kits," Lightningpaw added.

A small smile formed on Starlingfeather's face and she gazed down at her stomach. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw padded away as the queen drifted asleep. Ivypaw spotted Amberstar, just about to enter her den.

"Amberstar!" Ivypaw called out.

The huge she-cat looked down at the two apprentices as they rushed toward her.

"Ivypaw...Lightningpaw, what is it?" Amberstar asked.

"We need to talk to you. It's urgent," Ivypaw meowed bluntly.

Amberstar's eyes widened and she gave a small nod, allowing the two apprentices to enter her den. Ivypaw and Lightningpaw sat down as Amberstar entered the den.

"What is this urgent matter?" Amberstar asked, sitting down.

Ivypaw gulped, suddenly feeling nervous as she sat before the powerful leader.

"During Longstripe's vigil," Ivypaw began, "I saw a mashed up deathberry in his ear."

Amberstar's eyes widened, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Ivypaw replied, "And I think someone deliberately poisoned all the cats who've died in their sleep."

Amberstar stared down at Ivypaw in stunned silence.

"Wait here," she finally ordered.

Ivypaw and Lightningpaw nodded as Amberstar slipped out of the den. The two apprentices exchanged glances.

"Do you think she believed you?" Lightningpaw asked.

"I'm not sure," Ivypaw admitted, "But I think she's going to want to make sure I'm not just spouting nonsense."

Lightningpaw nodded. Suddenly, Ivypaw felt a wave of anxiety overtake her. What if she was talking nonsense? What if that wasn't a deathberry at all and she had just wasted her leader's time?! After a while, Amberstar entered the den again, with Eaglefeather at her side.

"I sent Snowpelt to dig up Longstripe's body," Amberstar informed.

"And I will be checking his body to find out if what you say is true," Eaglefeather added, glaring right at Ivypaw.

Ivypaw gulped nervously. Even more concerns zoomed through her head. What if the deathberry fell out of Longstripe's ear and everyone thought she was wrong?! Suddenly, Snowpelt appeared at the mouth of the den, holding a light brown scruff in his jaws. He dropped the body in the middle of the den.

"Show me where you found the deathberry," Eaglefeather ordered.

Ivypaw nodded. She crouched over Longstripe's body and began searching his ears. To her relief, the deathberry was still there. Ivypaw awkwardly dragged the mashed remains of the deathberry out of Longstripe's ear with one of her claws. Eaglefeather moved the deathberry toward him and leaned down to sniff it.

"She's right," Eaglefeather meowed, "This is a deathberry."

"So someone deliberately poisoned Longstripe in his sleep to kill him," Snowpelt gasped.

Amberstar's eyes suddenly filled with rage.

"Who would do that?!" She exclaimed, obviously fighting to keep her self-control.

"Shadowclan perhaps?" Eaglefeather asked, "They were very hostile at the gathering."

"That is very possible," Amberstar replied.

Ivypaw glanced up at her leader. There was rage burning in her amber eyes.

"Sniff his body," Amberstar ordered.

Ivypaw, Lightningpaw, and Snowpelt immediately began sniffing Longstripe's body. The only thing Ivypaw could scent was dirt, deathberry, and death, three scents that made Ivypaw's nose wrinkle in disgust.

"There's no whiff of Shadowclan," Ivypaw meowed.

Lightningpaw nodded in agreement as they looked up at Amberstar. There was a conflicted look in her eyes.

"They could have disguised their scent," Snowpelt suggested.

"Yes," Amberstar nodded, "That must be why they're accusing us of prey stealing!" The leader rose her voice. "Well if they want a battle, they're going to get one! Tomorrow night!"

Before any cat could reply, Amberstar marched out of her den. Ivypaw and the others padded after her to see that she had leapt on top of the Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a clan meeting!" Amberstar called out.

Ivypaw and the others sat down where they were and stared up at Amberstar. The apprentices emerged from their den first, followed by the warriors, then finally, Starlingfeather dragged herself out of the nursery.

"Ivypaw and Lightningpaw have recently brought it to my attention that they found a deathberry in Longstripe's ear,' Amberstar began.

A chorus of shocked gasps arose from the gathered cats.

"Someone intentionally poisoned my mate?!" Starlingfeather cried out.

"Precisely," Amberstar replied, "And I suspect that it was Shadowclan, given their hostility at the past gathering."

Murmurs of agreement began to ripple through the cats.

"As such, we will attack them tomorrow night and the cats coming will be Ivypaw, Lightningpaw, Silvermist, Cedartail, Mistpaw, Snowpelt, Amberpetal, Sunfur, Ravenfeather, and Fuzzytail."

Ivypaw's eyes widened. She would be going to the battle? Amberstar dismissed the clan with a flick of her tail, leaving Ivypaw with an anxious feeling building in her.