Sorry for the lack of updates, I am having a hard time writing these other chapters just because my plans are ever changing. But holy cow Flame fainted ovo Scarey stuff! I want to forewarn this chapter is going to be a bit different. It is going to jump from perspectives, only until Flame wakes up. Flame is still going to have bigger parts I think. Thanks for following ;D

When I awoke, I was back in the forest. The rays actually showed through the leaves, and I could hear the birds tweeting. The forest was...quiet.

I got up, feeling nothing but the morning fatigue. The dirt, mud, ash, and smoke was no longer splattered on my coat. What?

"So you are here."

A Starclan cat approached me from my side, and sat next to me.

He was...familiar. It was not the white cat I had met before, yet he had a comforting glow…

"It is fine if you don't recognize me. After all, you were so small when I first met you."

A trigger went off in my head, and astounded my tongue only moved to make one word.

"Dad…"

He nodded, with smirk on his face.

"I guess I gave it away."

I couldn't think of what to say or ask. My body was numb, and just seeing him was enough to make me silent.

"I am sorry I could not help you on this journey alive and well, I promised you I would, but he got the better of me."

I shook my head slightly, my eyes still glued to his faint appearance.

"No, Foxnose, please don't apologize. It is not your fault."

He sighed, and sunk his shoulders a bit.

"It is. But I have come to terms with it. In the end, I am able to still help you on your journey, just in a different way."

"I...haven't died...right?"

"No," defiantly, without a doubt he meowed,"your body is recovering. You inhaled a lot of smoke, and not to mention your body has taken more damage than you felt. You need to heal, but I a cat trained in the herbs is needed to help to your full recovery."

I wasn't sure how to feel. While I thought I would be worried, I was enjoying the time with my father. Hopefully my body would take it's time healing.

"Anyways, I wanted you to tell me something."

"Um, sure."

"I want to hear how your journey has been. I haven't been there all of your life, so let it out. I want to hear it all."

My father wanted to hear my story. Never had I thought the day would come when would be able to share memories with him, sit by the sunlight, take in the beautiful view bestowed before us. I could finally get some advice from my father.

"Well, Foxnose, it hasn't been without it's trials."

He laughed a little.

"Everything comes with trials. How we face them shows how our past growth has shaped us into the cat we are now."

And with that, I went on. The world around me could wait, it was a time where I needed my father in my life.

-.-.-.-.-.-.- Pepper's POV -.-.-.-.-.-.-

We had all become quiet when we noticed Flame was no longer conscious. Our cries to him were nothing to his slumber.

He was laying still as stone. While his body rose up and down with each shaky breath he took, Flame's body was burned heavily, and I could tell he needed a cat trained in recovery.

"You," I meowed sternly to the mother cat,"you know the region well I presume. Where is a herb cat? Flame is going to need them, and it seems your child will need it too."

She stopped from licking her child to glancing at all of us before her gaze finished with me.

"I know only of one, and he is not too far away. I can show you the way, but I am going to need help carrying my youngest while I carry Hawk. Glass is too young to walk far."

Immediately I stepped over to her and hovered over Glass.

"Talon," I moved my tail to lightly touch Flame's pelt,"Carry him on you back. I'll help you balance him out while I am carrying the kit."

Star remained in shock and her gaze had not left Flame's body the entire time I had talked. She must have gone in mental shock upon seeing him like this.

"Star."

She didn't move.

"Star." This time I got a little louder.

She noticed, and turned to me, a little frazzled by the sudden attention.

"He is going to be okay, you know that, right?"

"Yes, yes of course I do." She did not hide her true feelings well. I could hear the doubt that fogged her usual happy tone.

"We need to go take him to a herb cat. Let's go!"

I helped Talon load Flame on his back, and helped balance him on my own after grabbing Glass from her mother. The mother cat, with her son in her jaw, lead the way, her other daughter following close behind.

And off we were, heading back in the direction we had came. I only hoped Flame would be okay long enough for us to get him the help he needed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.- Flame's POV -.-.-.-.-.-.-

"You have come a long way even with only a short time out of your home. It is only a matter of time until you are the leader of the new clan."

I nodded.

"I guess so."

A bird dropped from a tree, but spread it's wings to fly up and around in many circles before descending back into the trees.

"I can see you don't believe in yourself."

"I...I don't, Foxnose. I am not even familiar with the clans. I don't know any of the positions, I don't know our rules, I can't even stand on my own four paws after diving in for that kit in the fire. I don't want to fail them, and all I see is that in my eyes."

A breeze cut through us, and ruffled my pelt, driving a cool sensation throughout my body. Even in this spirit form, the sensations were all so real.

"If you keep thinking like that, it will happen. You won't be a great leader, you will be a horrible one-"

"Well thanks I didn't need you to be fully honest-" I muttered under my sigh.

"I didn't finish." I closed my mouth to listen.

"Do you ever think any clan cat is ready for the leader position?"

"I would think the next in line is ready, after all, they are in that position because they are ready."

Foxnose shook his head.

"Leaders choose their next deputy by seeing their future. Who they see fit as next leader after their passing is what makes the system. Now, there are many deputies of the clans that never saw themselves in the position. Some don't get to experience the life as a leader, others do. What makes a good leader is the ones who can make decisions, not one who sits ideally by waiting for the next move. You learn what works and what doesn't work."

His words planted themselves in my head. The day was going to come when I would receive my title of a warrior, then the title of the leader.

But for the most part, Foxnose was right. A leader could stand for their clan and not be pushed over. It reminded me of the last line of the prophecy.

To stand tall and not fall.

I had to stand for my clan, and show them I would not fall.

"Thank you Foxnose."

"Just remember your clan will always stand beside you, and you have Starclan to guide you."

"Star told me about Starclan and it's fall, and that it is in jeopardy of falling into Crow's clutches."

I hoped Foxnose would deny it, and tell me everything was okay, but he didn't change. His stance was still solid, and tried to show no fear.

"I will not lie to you. Starclan is in trouble, and it is not much longer before Crow gains control of everything. That is why we are trying to guide you as fast as possible, but without missing anything in return."

"Well, then while I'm here I could ask you the positions of a clan."

"Good point. You don't know anything of the positions or the warrior code. I guess us Starclan forgot."

I laughed a little, relieving the stress from the earlier conversation.

"So it must not be that important then."

Foxnose laughed in return as well.
"You get your humor from your mother. Now, I'm going to start with the positions. Listen closely."

I nodded, and sat patiently as he went through the positions.

-.-.-.-.-.-.- Star's POV -.-.-.-.-.-.-

I couldn't do anything. As a spirit of Starclan, I was worthless in these kind of situations. I can't help, the only thing I could do was watch as these living cats fought to save Flame. I was his guide, and yet, how would I help him the times he needed me?

We had crossed across the land. While I could not feel the heat, I could tell everyone in front of me was exhausted. Their bodies lacked the strength to continue on.

I had admired that. What I would give to be alive again, to feel the wind brush my fur, to emerge in the lush smells or the prey and land, to taste the pure, fresh water of the lake...truly I wish there was a way to go back…

"Mama, we are close, aren't we?"

With her child in her mouth, she nodded.

Ahead of us was a hill of rocks that were embedded in the dirt. There were boulders many times bigger than us, while then there were rocks near the small size or just a bit smaller. The grass around was dead and short, but what feared me the most was getting up the boulders with a unconscious cat.

I could tell we were going to have to jump, but I scanned Pepper and Talon, who had somehow managed to balance Flame most of the way here.

As we neared closer to the first rock, Pepper and Talon halted. Pepper set down Glass's body who stayed by her.

"This is impossible. We can't get up without Flame sliding off our backs."

The mother cat set her child down next to her, the body remaining still. While the others sat in thought, I had a idea.

"I can see a trail where Pepper and Talon could walk up, but there will need to be support from the back pushing up so Flame does not fall off."

They all nodded in agreement.

"The only problem would be…" Pepper heaved, trying to recover from the large load on her back,"we have no way to...get that working...without someone carrying the small kit."

"What is your name she-cat?"

"I am called Whisper."

"Whisper," I repeated the name to remember it later,"take your child up to the top and come back down to help us."

Picking Hawk up immediately, she crouched to jump up the first rock.

"We are counting on you to come back down to help Flame."

She nodded, and then jumped, easily landing on the large dark boulder, her child dangling in her jaw. Progressively as she climbed, her body shrunk, and soon, she was out of view.

Oddly enough, she did not come back down right away. It actually was many passing moments before one of us made the comment, Pepper was first to speak.

"How many rats do you want to bet she left us to get her son to the herb cat? I bet two."

Talon snorted.

"I'll bet four."

I rolled my eyes.

"She wouldn't leave her daughter behind."

They both chuckled.

"I still bet four." Talon whispered into Pepper's ear, causing a crack across her face.

And if by a sign of my good nature, Whisper appeared jumping back down the mountain of rocks.

I was beginning to notice the sun had set, and now it was hovering above the horizon, the light in the sky fading fast. How had I not noticed the light had dimmed? Soon I would have to go back, and I would not know of Flame's fate till morning. Why had such a curse been placed on me?

"I apologize to all of you for my delay. I tucked my son in a safe spot until we reached the top. You just never know what is awaiting around."

And there Whisper was, standing before me. I could tell she was anxious to get back. After all, her son was in danger. As a mother, I would be worried to.

"It's okay, I'm going to pick up Glass and you help load Flame on our backs. Push as we go up. This girl can walk, at least this short distance, yes?"

Whisper quickly glanced at her timid daughter, and nodded.

"Yes, Dove is perfectly capable of walking up the mountain."

"Good, now let's go."

I could only watch as Flame was loaded on the backs of the cats. When I wanted to help, I tried to step forward, but took it back after realizing I couldn't. Besides, it was almost time to when I would be summoned back to the forest. I wasn't worth anything at this moment, or it seemed like ever…

I followed the cats as they trudged their way up the hill, making ever so slow progress. Whisper struggled as each step the group took she would have to push Flame back up. She slipped multiple times as the dirt ran through her paws.

What made it worse was the fact that we were only halfway up, and I could she was close to total exhaustion. All I could do was watch helplessly, and try to encourage her on with each pounding step she took.

Then it hit me. There were plenty of rocks all around, and many spots to rest. I could see a boulder that was perfectly daggered out of the ground only a tail length below us.

"Take a rest here."

They obeyed, and slid down until they touched the bare rock below their pads. They dropped Flame's body on the rock, and all tried to catch their breaths from the hike up.

"You know what time it is. Return, or face punishment."

His voice echoed through my head clear like the forest's water. Of course the other cats around me were oblivious to what was happening. I wanted to beg for a little more time, but I knew I had already asked for too much. The sky was dark, and the last slivers of the sun's light were beginning to fade fast. It was time I returned to the forest, or 'he' would come for me.

I said my goodbyes for the night, and they wished me well. I transported away, back into the forest which had once been the home for clans, and myself as well.

It welcomed me with the usual dark outlook of the black sky ahead, no moonlight breaking through the cracks of the trees like many other forests. I sighed, what good it felt to be home.

"I lost his presence. Would you mind telling me where he is, my young Star?"

I voice cut through my thoughts and pelt like knives as he appeared to what seemed to be behind me. Even as a spirit, his presence continued time and time again to overwhelm my senses. He made it so all I could feel and focus on was him.

I proudly turned to him, my gaze ever so cold as I stared into the eyes of the malicious Crow.

He sat patiently, his tail wrapped around his paws, awaiting my answer he knew I would not tell him.

"You know I would never. Flame is going to take back this forest, and destroy every vein that flows through this forest of you. This cat will be your doom."

"That child," He arose to slowly walk towards me, and sit next to me, his hot breath flooding into my ear as he leaned in,"has intrigued me. He will prove himself useful to myself. Every cat is corruptible, you just have to hit the right source. It is only a matter of time before he is dancing on the ends of my web."

I tilted my head towards him a bit, my eyes still in contact with the ground.

"Flame would never betray his friends. He grows stronger every day. I can feel his spirit grow, and I know you can as well. He is resistent to you, hence why your influence has not affected him yet."

I had caught him off guard. I knew that made Crow uneasy, he feared Flame becoming too strong. It was not going to be easy to kill him if he wanted to.

His presence left my side, and soon he was back where he had started, staring straight at me.

"Perhaps I should pry the answer out of you as to where that young tom went…"

I snickered.

"You know fully well you cannot hurt me as I cannot hurt you. It is in our bounds to this forest."

"I know," He walked straight past me, my eyes not following as he walked off, but paused," but after I control the Starpool; your spirit, along with the others of Starclan are mine to toy with. I am so close to reaching the source."

"Flame will kill you before the chance ever happens."

"Oh? Is that what you tell yourself," I could hear his laugh behind me, but his tone became serious again,"do not act tough to me, Star. I've known you long enough."

"I only speak what I know."

"Hmph. Well goodnight, I hope you know I enjoy our little chats. It's the highlight of my night."

His presence was gone.

I sighed in relief. Finally, peace from his annoying self.

Flame, please be awake when I arrive tomorrow. You are the last hope...for all of Starclan.