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| - I trudged grumpily through the squelching mud. It oozed and squeezed between my claws, glueing my fur together. I swore under my breath. This storm was useless. It had been going on for weeks now, the same miserable grey clouds, the sun strangled in a foggy grip. The brown mud splashed my belly fur. 'Damn!' I heard Waterpaw slip and slide face first into he gunge. I couldn't help but purr in humor. 'It's not funny,' he grumbled hotly. 'We're here to check on DarkClan, not stumble through this bog.' I dipped my head in agreements. It had been several days since Deathstar and his Clan settled in the training hollow. The apprentices' duty was to visit them every day to make sure they weren't escaping and fetch them clean moss bedding. The worst part of DarkClan arriving was we had lost our training area. We were now practising battle moves in the neverending slushy, tawny muck, which I'm sure Waterpaw can tell you about in an angry voice. I personally thought it was a waste of time, but Featherstar insisted on daily patrols. I think he was scared that they were suddenly going to kill him in his sleep. 'They're much too clever to escape,' I observed. 'Deathstar clearly has more brains than Featherstar thinks.' 'Yeah,' Waterpaw conceded, shaking mud from his whiskers. 'Deathstar's pretty creepy though.' I had to give that one to Waterpaw. DarkClan were the scariest cats I'd ever seen. They all had hollow eyes and dangerously thin frames. They had long claws and fangs ready to kill any cat. Every one of them had matted fur, and a vicious glint in their eyes. I shuddered at the memory. I swiveled round to the sound of someone scampering through the mud. 'Waterpaw! Firepaw!' It was Airpaw, her beautiful long white pelt stained by the rain, wind and mud. Airpaw always came with Waterpaw, Earthpaw and me should we be visiting DarkClan. Her invisible shield came in handy in this situation. I was always a little afraid that Deathstar was going to launch a battle on the four most special apprentices ever. Maybe I was a bit paranoid. My gift was probably the least helpful. I could see every though anyone has ever had at one touch. Recently, I had walked into Earthpaw's mind. I could see all her visions, but one was particularly scary, one where DarkClan took over StormClan. I had heard her dreaming over Spiderpaw, but then realising her destiny was with Waterpaw. But that's a long way off, I told myself. 'Another trek through the mud?' Airpaw joked. I rolled my eyes. 'Unfortunatly.' We squelched through the forest, in a happy silence. We had all grown closer together after the past few sunrises. It was still a bit surreal to me, but we were still the came cats. Waterpaw was grouchy. Airpaw was cheerful. Earthpaw was quiet and shy still. We approached the clearing. Airpaw shut her eyes and branched out her shield around us. I felt the bubble expanding round us, radiating like the sun. It was transparent, no one could see it. I entered, feeling nervous. I didn't know why, but I felt like something bad was about to happen. Stop being silly, I told myself. You're fine. 'You're fine,' I told myself. 'Absolutely fine.' I probably looked ridiculous; a massive apprentice telling himself to man up. I snorted inwardly. We shouldered through the bushes, smelling the strange but oddly alluring scent of the DarkClan cats. 'Welcome,' Deathstar drawled, a little too charmingly. I was more than a bit suspicious. a'I would like to have a little...talk with you three.' He scanned the clearing. 'Where is she? The orchid eyed one?' 'She is busy,' I said unflinchingly. 'Now let us pass so we can collect your moss. It must be damp.' I stepped forward, but the Redpoison stopped me with a hiss through her teeth. I stumbled back. After visiting DarkClan for the last few sunrises, I had worked out that Redpoison was the only she cat, and Deathstar's mate. All the other cats were toms. Deathstar's tail lashed. 'Don't bother trying, Blazey. I have a whole army of cats here.' He flicked his ears to the writhing mass of teeth and claws behind him. I didn't reply, but simply glared back. Waterpaw didn't appear to lose confidence for he mewed. 'Please, let us pass. It is Featherstar's orders.' DarkClan sustained there imposing battle formation. I recoiled as Sharpclaw bared his teeth in a sort of menacing smile, Deathstar began to pace up and down. 'So, I have the three. Where is the fourth elements?' Airpaw shrank back. 'Oh yes,' Deathstar continued. 'I know you're secret. I have a StarClan too. And they tell me everything.' 'What do you want from us?' Waterpaw asked, frustrated now. I listened to the argument, but I was searching the trees. Then I saw what I wanted. A pair of lavender eyes staring out from the foliage. They blinked. I had to force myself not to say it out loud, Iquickly focused my gaze back to Deathstar, so he couldn't tell that Earthpaw was there. I didn't want to get her into this mess too. I shot her a warning glance, and the leaves rustled before the eyes dissappeared. 'You are the Elements, yes?' Deathstar continues. 'You are probably wondering, "Why do I have powers? Why am I special?"' I held my breath. Deathstar stared straight at us. 'The reason you were born was to defeat us. DarkClan. But that's all about to change.' Every cat in the clearing slid out their claws, except me. 'Not now, Deathstar,' I pleaded. The leader raised an eyebrow. 'Begging, Firepaw? Well, maybe not now. I want to see more of your Clan die.' He smirked. 'So I will ask you all some questions.' I felt the wariness of everyone in the hollow. Tensions were on a high. Deathstar turned to Waterpaw. 'So, you were abandoned as a kit, am I right?' Waterpaw kept his mouth shut but nodded fervently. There was no point denying the cruel commander, he knew it all. 'You and your sister Summerpaw were left here to die. And who do you think did that?' His gaze bore into Waterpaw. 'No,' my friend whispered. 'Not you.' I knew what he was thinking. Deathstar couldn't, he musn't be Waterpaw's father. Deathstar laughed. 'I abandoned you and your sister when you were two moons old. The little weaklings. Redpoison narly died delivering you saps.' I looked at the cream she cat. There was a new emotion in her eyes, not hate, but sorrow. I saw Earthpaw's eyes gleaming from the hedge. She was as anxious as I was. I tramped through the peaty bog past the clearing. It had been a sunrise since the fateful encounter with Deathstar. Waterpaw was still shocked, but he solidered bravely on through his life. I admired him for that. I struggled aimlessly on through the mud, when suddenly I saw Redpoison leap out in front of me. I jumped. 'Hey!' I exclaimed. 'You scared me.' 'Sorry,' she spat, though I think she meant it. She sat down on a small patch of grass soaked in rain. 'I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.' I nodded. 'Are you really Waterpaw's mother?' Redpoison nodded sadly. 'I don't believe you,' I threatened. The cream cat looked at me for the first time. 'Deathstar says you have gifts,' she said softly. 'That you can see every thought anyone's ever had when you touch them once.' I nodded briefly. 'Except it isn't very useful.' Redpoison tilted her head and offered me her flank. 'I'll prove that I'm Waterpaw's mother.' 'Are you sure?' I asked. 'I want you to know. You have the right.' With a slight hesitation, I touched her neck with my nose. There was a brief flash, and then her thoughts began. I was standing in the middle of trees. It was dry, dusty. Must be during the drought, I thought. There was a cat standing there, thin and tired. Two small shapes clung to her back, sleeping. One was black and white, the other a golden tabby. The queen took the kits off her back by their scruffs, and placed them in an old birds nest. She then put the nest in a stream, letting the kits drift off son the river. I felt the cats pain, sorrow. I felt like I was about to cry, my heart ached so much for these kits. It changed to another vision. This time, it was the StormClan training hollow. I could see myself, standing tall compared to the other two apprentices. I felt Redpoison's longing as she gazed at Waterpaw, her lost kit, and her hatred towards her mate for forcing her to make her kits leave. Good luck, Redpoison told her kittens telepathicaly. I hope you do well in life..... 'Wow,' I breathed. 'You really are their mother.' Redpoison nodded, tears sliding down her face. 'Deathstar made me leave them. Said they were too ill for the Clan. I'm the only she-cat, all the other toms are mostly rouges. How would you feel if you were forced to give your kits up? So I became bitter. And I wanted to reclaim this territory, to kill me son.' She controlled herself. 'Firepaw,' she whispered. 'Can you do one thing for me?' 'Anything,' I vowed. I could trust her now. 'Look after my kits.' she pleaded, than walked back into the forest.
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