Previously...
The three cats exchanged a glance and lied down on by the Star Rock with their noses touching it.
All of them drifted off into Starclan...
"Hello, Spottedfawn..."
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"Who's there?" asked Spottedfawn, whipping herself round to see who greeted her.
Warmheart, Swiftstar's daughter, approached Spottedfawn.
"You will need help to find Darkheart." meowed Warmheart, the mud staining her white paws as she walked across a puddle of mud.
Spottedfawn gasped when a silver she-cat suddenly appeared beside Warmheart. "Wh - Who's that?" stuttered Spottedfawn. She found the silver she-cat familiar, but she couldn't find the answer to her question in the list of names in her head.
"I'm Silverpelt. Of course, that means the stars in the sky. I am Warmheart's sister," explained the silver she-cat. "I don't actually exist, because I am a pert of Starclan. I'm immortal, and can enter your world anytime I like. You will not find Darkheart yourself. I can help you."
"Wait. I don't understand!" exclaimed Spottedfawn.
Warmheart shook her head as the image of her and Silverpelt dissolved before Spottedfawn's eyes.
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Chapter 4
Fireclaw rose and nudged two voles and a rat towards Blazingfur, Echopool and Spottedfawn.
"Here. It's not much, but it should keep you going for long enough," meowed Fireclaw.
The sun had already risen, and it was the first time they could see Fireclaw in broad daylight. His face was battle scarred and his flank was full of scratches and bite marks.
"What happened? Did the rat do that?" asked Echopool.
"Nah. The rat only bit my paw. The rest were inflicted by Darkheart and his new band of rogues," answered Fireclaw.
"A rat bite? I'll go find some Burdock root!" meowed Spottedfawn. She got up and left the Star Rock Cave.
Blazingfur thanked Fireclaw for the food and ate a vole. Echopool smiled at her brother and polished up the half-eaten rat. The other half of the rat had been eaten by her earlier.
"Who is the new leader?" questioned Fireclaw.
"Oh, after you killed Mintstar, the Clan decided to let all Elders,Warriors and Queens vote for who will be Leader, because, as you know, there was no Deputy at that time. I became Leader, but I let Sageflower become Leader. Now she's Sagestar," answered Blazingfur.
Fireclaw nodded and grunted,"I made a mistake. I trusted Darkheart. I ripped Mintstar of 3 lives, for Darkheart. I helped him. Now, after we got banished, how did he repay me? He made friends with some good-for-nothing rogues, and the scarred me physically and emotionally. I still stayed with him, and he tries to poison me! I've learned from my mistake. I shall never trust him again. Now, we are enemies."
Echopool licked a particularly nasty scratch on Fireclaw's belly.
At that moment, Spottedfawn padded into the cave with some Burdock root. "Here," meowed Spottedfawn."Eat this. It should help."
She ate a vole and put some cobweb on Fireclaw's wounds.
Blazingfur looked restlessly out of the cave and suggested," Fireclaw, we need to leave now. Would you join us on our quest? You can have your revenge on Darkheart if you come with us."
Fireclaw stretched and grunted his approval.
"Let's go-etty go!" exclaimed Spottedfawn excitedly.
Echopool, Fireclaw, Spottedfawn and Blazingfur left the cave with high spirits.
Blue Jays and Sparrows chirped and sung in the trees. An occasional cry of a crow and song of a chickadee could be heard. A badger snuffled round a corner but paid no attention to the four traveling cats.
"Ah, what a peaceful day,"commented Spottedfawn."Even the badgers aren't looking for a fight!"
Echopool could not help but nod in agreement.
"Err... Guys? I don't think it's as peaceful as you thought," meowed Fireclaw.
"What do you mean?"snorted Blazingfur.
Just then, a burst of angry and excited barks busted from a nearby twoleg den. A small white dog dashed towards the cats!
"On the count of three,run! One two three!"yowled Echopool. They ran through bushes, but they did not seem to be loosing the dog.
"Run through the brambles!" yowled Blazingfur.
The other three cats nodded and followed him into the nearest clump of brambles. The dog couldn't follow them, so it's went whimpering back to the twoleg den.
"That was close!"exclaimed Fireclaw.
Spottedfawn meowed,"Turns out you were right after all."
Fireclaw smirked and shook some dirt off his silver and orange fur. They went out of the brambles and saw Silverpelt standing before them.
"Who are you?" hissed Blazingfur.
"Oh! I am Silverpelt, sister to Warmheart, daughter to Whitetail and Swiftstar," meowed Silverpelt.