I didn't know what was going on. My shoulder was aching and the sound of yowling filled my ears. A mix of icy rain and small hail pounded down on me as I opened my eyes. A crack of lightning lit the air and a gargantuan boom of thunder rumbled soon after. I was quite sure I was in the nursery, but I wasn't positive - everything was in ruins.

"She's awake, Rockfur," whispered my mother, Feathernose, and Rockfur hurried over. I tried to get up, but he gently pushed me back down with his paw.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Shh!" he hissed. "Last night at the gathering, WindClan and ShadowClan did not arrive, but the ShadowClan deputy did," he paused for a moment, then continued, "He said that ShadowClan had taken over WindClan and their territory, and if we were smart, we would surrender without a fight. He quickly departed, and we hurried back to camp. But on the way back, the gathering patrol got attacked by ShadowClan, and, needless to say, the battle quickly moved into the camp. They've been fighting since. Nobody has been killed, but many have been seriously injured, and if we don't get help soon, ShadowClan will win."

"I can go to ThunderClan," I meowed. "I can ask them for help."

"You're injured. You can't go," said my mother, panic and fear entering her deep-yellow

"I'm fine," I insisted. "Besides, it's not like I'm helping the clan in any other way right now, and we need the rest of the warriors to stay fighting."

"She's right," Rockfur said to my mother. "Stand up and make sure you can walk okay, Brookpaw." I stood and padded around the nursery, veering around the other injured cats, the kits, and their mothers. Rockfur continued, "Does it hurt when you walk on it?"

"A little, but it's definitely bearable," I replied.

"How are you getting out of the camp?" asked my mother, desperately trying to think of a plausible reason to keep me from leaving.

"I can sneak out through the back like I did when I was a kit," I said, my whiskers turning up slightly despite the severity of the situation.

Feathernose paused looking at Rockfur for support, but he shook his head at her. "Please be careful," she whispered, nudging my flank with her nose. I nodded. Rockfur quietly made his way to the entrance of the nursery.

"I'll tell you when it's clear to sneak out," he said. I'm going now? I thought to myself. But I'm completely unprepared - what will I do? What will I say? Why am I doing this... My nerves were getting to me. I looked around at the kits, so innocent. They had no idea how serious this was. I looked at their mothers - I saw fear in their eyes. They, on the other hand, knew exactly what was going on and what it could mean . I then looked at all the injured ThunderClan warriors that were risking their lives to save the clan. Lastly, I turned my gaze to my own mother. I saw a deeper fear in her than I saw in any of the other queens. But she was staying strong. I'm doing it for my clan, I answered myself, Because if I don't, there could be no such thing as ThunderClan by dawn. I have to do this. I joined Rockfur at the entrance to the nursery and peered out into the clearing. Nightpaw was was double teamed by two ShadowClan apprentices, Sunfur was defending herself from Moonfoot and a stocky WindClan warrior, and my father Iceclaw was fighting two warriors. I shook my head in disbelief. What if I don't get there in time? What if by the time I get back, it's all... over, I thought, continuing to watch the unfair battle.

"Quickly, go!" hissed Rockfur, flicking me with his tail.

"Be careful," my mother meowed for the final time. I nodded once more and began creeping along the wall of the nursery, trying to conceal myself from the many ShadowClan and WindClan warriors. I turned to the back of the nursery, crouched underneath the many ferns at the edge of the camp, and began wading through the shallow, calm part of the river towards sunning rocks and ThunderClan territory.

"Who's there?" hissed a low voice from the end of the narrow tunnel entrance into ThunderClan camp.

"Brookpaw, from RiverClan," I said, continuing to make my way down the tunnel. I heard a small sigh of relief.

"Are you alone or with others?" he asked.

"I'm alone," I said, finally reaching the warrior.

"What happened to your shoulder?" he questioned me, noticing my major limp and the dried blood on my front shoulder.

"ShadowClan has invaded our camp. We need your help," I said, my tone desperate and despairing. His eyes narrowed sinisterly and there was a pause before he answered.

"Follow me," he said, hurrying through the camp into what I assumed was Rainstar's den.

"Rainstar, wake up," meowed the warrior softly. Rainstar's eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet.

"What is it?" he said, his voice shaking and panic entering his auburn eyes.

"RiverClan needs our help. ShadowClan has invaded their camp," said the warrior. Rainstar shot a glance at me and then looked back at the warrior.

"How do we know ShadowClan isn't going to attack us as well?" said Rainstar.

"We don't know anything, except that if you do not help us, RiverClan will have to surrender to ShadowClan too," I intervened. I saw the ThunderClan leader look at my injured shoulder.

"Graytail, lead the apprentice to Darkpool's den - she's the medicine cat," said Rainstar. "I'll organize a patrol." Graytail nodded in understanding.

"Thank you so much," I said, bowing my head appreciatively.

"I just hope that if ThunderClan ever needs help, you will be there for us," said Rainstar sternly, motioning for us to leave with his tail. I followed Graytail out of the den and through the camp. I heard Rainstar gathering the warriors behind me as we entered the small medicine den. Before I could see into the den, I heard Graytail gasp. He was blocking my view, but, noticing that my paws were suddenly wet, I saw the blood soaking the floor. Graytail moved to the side, and I saw Darkpool - a long gash in his side and throat. He was dead.

"We need to unite with RiverClan. That's the only way we'll be able to defeat ShadowClan," Graytail meowed to Rainstar.

Rainstar nodded. "Stormpelt, you'll stay here with Blackstripe, Smallpaw, Jayfoot, and Crowpaw. The rest of the warriors and apprentices will come with me. We must depart immediately." He trotted to the entrance of the camp, his patrol of warriors and apprentices at his heels. "Stormpelt, you're in charge. Stay alert at all times," he said. "And be careful." With that, he turned and galloped out of the camp and through the forest towards RiverClan territory. I struggled to keep up, but anytime I fell behind, I thought of all of my clanmates fighting a nearly futile battle back in the camp. None of them gave up, so neither could I. I pushed up a large slope and continued around a pile of smashed boulders. The patrol slowed as we neared the river - the ThunderClan warriors were nervous to cross. I glanced out from behind Graytail to see Rainstar wading carefully through the river, his legs shaking. Slowly, the rest of the patrol followed their leader and waded through the river. Rainstar stopped at the opposite bank, waiting for the rest of the cats to catch up to him.

"Brookpaw," he meowed quietly, "you show us the way to the entrance, and then I'll lead you all in," said Rainstar.

"All right," I responded nervously, beginning around the edge of the camp towards the entrance. My heart started racing and blood pounded through my ears as I heard the yowls and cries of my clan mates behind the wall of reeds and willow trees. I silently motioned my tail towards the small break in the bulwark where we'd enter the camp. Rainstar padded to the front of the patrol. He flicked his tail, preparing us to enter, then sped into the camp. What I saw was much worse than I remembered - blood was splattered all across the sandy ground, and the warriors' and apprentices' dens were ripped to shreds. My thoughts were interrupted by a large ShadowClan apprentice bowling me over and striking my belly with his hind legs. I quickly unsheathed my claws - realizing I should have done that quite some time ago - and struck the side of his face. His body went slightly limp, but he was still too heavy for me to counter-roll. I heard him growl and he shot off of me. At first I couldn't figure out why, but then I saw my father clawing the apprentice's back.

"Get back to the nursery," he hissed. I obeyed and sprinted around the edge of the camp, trying to stay hidden, and back into the nursery. My mother sighed and rushed over to me.

"I'm so glad you're all right," she said, pressing her cheek against mine. "I was so worried."