A/N: Greetings, lovely readers! ShoutFinder here - and I upheld my promise, DahliaStarr, I published this ahead of New Year! Chapters may be slow in coming, but this is the first chapter, so...enjoy!

Some of you may know me as the author of Daughter of the Sun, but new readers, welcome regardless! This is the direct sequel to DOTS - however, I have several companion pieces planned for the future. If you're intrigued and want to get started and NOT go through the twenty-six prequel chapters to DOtT, here's a brief overview of what you've missed. If you've already done so, bye-bye, get started on chapter one!

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Essentially, it's been five years since the failed Dark Forest invasion - the survivors have been massing together an army bigger, badder and greater than warriors alone. To have Mapleshade put it, they are walking on paths 'even Tigerstar feared to tread'. My main heroine has a destiny to stop the second Dark Forest rising, and through her extremely exhausting apprenticeship she has been guided, watched over and mentored by Aura, a she-kit who came to ThunderClan when she was only two moons old, yet bore more wisdom and knowledge than StarClan. But even though she's survived to becoming a warrior, the pair must now place all their efforts in fulfilling the prophecy StarClan passed down from the mythical beings Time, Change, Fate and Destiny, known collectively as the Four, whence the prophesied's powers originated.

The Four watch over the four Clans ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan and ShadowClan and have done so since the founding days. The fifth, SkyClan - as you may remember - decided their own destiny. But they face this danger too, and while they're alone, they're vulnerable and weaken by the day. My heroine's journey now is just beginning, and she has a massive task concerning SkyClan ahead of her...

Yet before she left StarClan for good, she received startling news - all omens are interwoven, and have a tendency to return and repeat. As the Daughter of Dovewing, the cat of the Three prophesized to bring peace, it is now my heroine's duty to fulfill the omen, Peace will come on dove's gentle wing...but she must also contest with the somber words of the founders, Kin to the fire, Bane of the tiger - the omen that dictates a destiny, and one that has been shared by many cats belonging to the Clan of Destiny...

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Chapter One

THE SUN IN THE SKY

It was a moonless night, the kind of night that brought shivers to even the most fearless warrior's spine, the night when the moon was not present amidst the countless gleaming stars. The shadows were thrown long by the weak starshine, and they appeared menacing, holding secrets, whispering with voices of their own.

The river was peaceful and still, a sliver of silver against the dark gorge. Its stony cliffs loomed over the sun-baked earth, tall and protecting...yet enclosing and trapping at once. That was the way many cats felt on this moonless night—the cats who dwelled in the gorge who lived by a code of honour, in the ways of the Clan. They were enclosed and trapped. They knew a storm was coming.

Seated upon the Skyrock, a lithe tom looked over his home, sharp eyes bright with alertness. He flicked the tip of his tail uneasily as a biting wind ruffled his fur the wrong way, but he didn't attempt to shake it out. He didn't think he could sleep if he tried to. It wasn't cold that chilled him; it was fear.

Stay calm, he instructed himself firmly. Stay calm. It won't do you any good to be scared. So what's the point?

He continued to furtively examine the shadows. He wished that he wasn't alone. He glanced up at the sky to the glittering stars, as though offering a tribute to his warrior ancestors that prowled the night high above his head. "Please, StarClan," he breathed, his whiskers trembling. "If you can hear me..."

Before he could say another word, the shadows moved—fear jumped into his throat, freezing his voice, and the tom was on his paws in a heartbeat.

"H-hello?" he yowled into the gorge. His fear increased when he received no response.

Many heartbeats passed by, unheard, in the sudden silence. They pulsed in the tom's ears. His paws trembled on the Skyrock. Oh, StarClan, why tonight, why this night? The thoughts thrummed as loud as his heart in his mind. The tom lashed his tail, too restless to sit still. Again he checked the dens—the nursery, the elders' hollow, the warriors' den, the dark mouth atop the craggy ledge where his Clan leader slept...

Am I just jumping at my own imagination? the tom wondered briefly. He slowly, gingerly, sat back down atop the Skyrock, trying to control the frenzied beating of his heart. Look, it's almost moonhigh...then I can go to my den...get the next sentry...just...try to forget this night.

Yet he'd happily serve another sentry duty if it meant he wouldn't do it on his own. I know something bad's going to happen, he groaned inside, but he didn't speak these words aloud. He knew the shadows were unsafe. They were eerie and gave him the shivers, and that always wasn't a good sign. I just know it...don't hurt us, please don't hurt us...

Right before his eyes, he saw the shadows flicker again—and suddenly they parted, like water breaking on the shore. Out of the murk stepped a slender black tom, his long legs as unusual as his extremely lithe frame. He stalked across the hard sun-bleached stone beneath his paws as though he owned the gorge.

Terror spiked the tom's fur and he jumped to his feet. He opened his jaws to sound the alarm, but suddenly there was a rustling of fur behind him. The tom whirled around, but by then it was too late. Claws flashed before his eyes, and then there was nothing more.

The pain was real—it sliced straight into his neck, and Blackfur leapt up as though stung by a wasp. He stifled a low shriek of pain and staggered, his forefoot pressed against his neck as it throbbed and ached a sharp, brutal agony beneath his spiked fur.

There was a rustle of fur near him and Touslefur looked up drowsily. "Blackfur?" he whispered. "You okay?"

The dark tom shook his head. "No...no, something isn't right." He lowered his paw and looked out of the warriors' den. "Oh, great StarClan..." Horror weighing in his stomach like a stone, Blackfur raced to the mouth of the cave. There's no moon...

Touslefur was on his paws at once. "Blackfur!"

"There's no moon!" Blackfur moaned, sinking against the side of the cave. Great StarClan, he was right... "Have you forgotten so quickly?"

Touslefur bounded up to Blackfur's side. "Forgotten what?"

"What Darkeye told us a few hours ago." Anxiously Blackfur returned his gaze to the twinkling stars. "There's no moon. He said we have to rely on the moon to protect us."

"You know your brother's a bit of an oddity..." began Touslefur.

"He's not mad!" Blackfur snapped at his denmate. "I know he isn't mad—and I should know! He's had queer thoughts, true, but he was certain about this one, and I think you should listen to him. Look. There isn't a moon in the sky."

Touslefur frowned. "So?" he ventured uneasily. "There...there never is a moon on these nights...the new moon..."

Blackfur shook his head. "This is something else, Touslefur. Something darker. He told us that we have to look to the moon to guard the sky for it leads to a brighter dawn..." His gaze darted to the clearing that stretched below, to the nursery, the elders' den, the Rockpile, the river... "Frecklewish believes that Darkeye is special, too."

"Frecklewish is old. Her eyesight is failing and her judgement is as shaky as her paws."

"But her mind is still as clear as a pond," Blackfur retorted. "Even Rosespots says that we should listen to him."

Touslefur bared his fangs. "Despite who her brother is?"

"Yes, despite that." Blackfur's stomach churned, but he forced the sickening nursery story aside and growled, "If you don't believe me, then tell me why Darkeye isn't on the Skyrock."

Touslefur glanced up, and his eyes widened. "Wh-what? Darkeye? Where's he gone?"

Blackfur's voice sounded strange even to his own ears. "He's dead."

"No!" Touslefur stared in disbelief. "What are you saying? Great StarClan..."

"Just as Darkeye decreed, the moon isn't protecting us," Blackfur growled. "The night is never going to end." He stared into the shadows with growing dismay as a lean black tom—one who he recognized—stepped out into the starlight. His dark amber eyes were gleaming, and they fixed themselves on the two young warriors.

"I know him..." Touslefur's voice faltered.

"We all do," Blackfur agreed solemnly as behind the deputy of SunClan, rogue warriors joined ranks, lining up beside the Rockpile with satisfied sneers on their scarred muzzles.

Shiftfury flexed his huge battle-torn shoulders and shot a smirk at the slender, long-legged tom who stood beside him. "Those maggots are still asleep," he purred. "Let's get them."

"Hold your ground," Breezepelt growled, sparing a glance at SunClan's most battle-driven warrior. "We raid SkyClan on my word."

"But they're still asleep!" protested Twistrage, lashing his ginger-spotted tail. "We could take them now, kill them while they're in their very nests!" He shifted from paw to paw, desperate to get started.

"Silence!" Breezepelt snarled. "We do not begin without Sol!"

Shiftfury snorted. "Still licking that tom's fur, are you?" he sneered.

"I'm rather adept at doing it for myself for the time being, thank you," a calm voice intervened from behind. Shiftfury whipped around in shock, as did many members of the battle party—all but one.

"You took your time," Breezepelt mewed dryly.

"Apologies," Sol responded, making his way to the front and elegantly seating himself before Shiftfury. The huge smoky-gray tom was still struggling to rein in his surprise and shame. "Perhaps now we can begin."

"Ooh, yes, let's begin, let's begin!" Twistrage hissed eagerly. He slashed his claws on the stone. Breezepelt shot him a furious glare, and Twistrage gulped, stiffening and flattening his ears.

"Stupid mange-fur," Breezepelt muttered, taking care to speak just loudly enough for the thin ginger-and-black tom to hear. He turned back to Sol and reported, "The sentry is taken care of, but in the process we have roused two warriors."

Sol nodded thoughtfully. "Good. Let them know that we have returned. It has been a long time."

"But we are stronger than ever," Breezepelt purred.

"You do well to train them," Sol answered. "Now let's see how much they have learned." He rose to his mottled paws and immediately all SunClan eyes were trained to him. Sol stood stone-still for only a few moments—then he flicked his tailtip forward. The silent signal provoked an incredible response. Bloodcurdling shrieks rent the air and cats raced forward on either side of him, howling for blood and screaming for death. Like a thunderous, deadly flood they sped across the gorge towards the dens beyond.

"Attack!" Touslefur's terror-rent yowl split the air over the fearsome screeching. "SunClan is attacking! Get up, fight for your lives!"

Blackfur prayed that the medicine cats would have found someplace safe to hide. Already two SunClan warriors were pacing around the medicine cave.

The lean black tom sprang over the rocks, scrabbling and clawing desperately as pebbles rained under him. He nearly slipped in horror when he heard the first agonized shriek, twisted and distorted with pain, ring through the SkyClan camp.

Come on...Muscles screaming, Blackfur hauled himself onto the ledge and stumbled forward on weary paws. The Clan leader's cave loomed before his eyes, and he breathed out huskily for a few moments, catching his breath. Was she awake?

She was—a moment later the dark ginger she-cat appeared at the mouth of her den. "What's going on?" she demanded, blue eyes bright with alertness.

"SunClan...siege..." Blackfur was still catching his breath. "Must help the queens!"

Her eyes widened. "Tonight?"

"Darkeye was right," Blackfur wheezed. "It's a night of no moon. We're under attack."

"Oh, great StarClan..." She shook her head furiously and bounded forward. "They're fighting now, aren't they? I heard this terrible cry..."

"They need you!" Blackfur gasped. "They need us! The medicine cats..."

SkyClan's leader nodded. "Let's go. Lead the way, Blackfur."

Blackfur nodded once before he set about scrabbling down the stony trail that wound towards the camp. Beyond in the faint starlight he could see feline shapes furiously wrestling with one another over the pebbly ground.

As he jumped down from the trail and onto flat stone, he heard a pounding set of unfamiliar pawsteps resound nearby. His leader emitted a shocked cry, before everything was lost in a furious whirlwind of teeth and claws. Blackfur gritted his teeth and pushed his attacker off him, but his muscles were aching after his frenzied scramble over the rocks. Pain radiated off him everywhere, and the dazed SkyClan warrior pushed himself shakily to his paws. The SunClan warrior bared his teeth and sneered.

"Run home to your mother, maggot-breath!"

"Not before you, mange-fur!" Blackfur shot back. The SunClan warrior hissed and charged, long claws gleaming. Blackfur twisted out of the way of the brunt of the attack and countered with a fierce kick that sent the SunClan warrior sprawling.

"Touslefur!" Blackfur twisted away and bounded into the fray. Please, let him be safe... "Touslefur, where are you?!" A split-heartbeat later, he caught sight of the tufted-furred warrior struggling against a small black tom—and one that Blackfur knew all too well.

"Get away from him!" Blackfur shrieked, racing towards the SunClan warrior—one of the most deadly, with an even deadlier past—but teeth pricked his tail and hauled him back. Blackfur restrained a pained yelp as he fell on his bad shoulder, the one where fresh wounds were bleeding freely from his first attacker's claws. Grit worked its way into the cuts and he restrained a pained yowl.

A shadow passed over his vision. "Die, filth!" it snarled, exposing bloodied fangs. Blackfur's eyes widened and he struggled, but suddenly all the air was shut off from his body. Fangs dug into his throat and he thrashed like a landed fish, desperate for breath. His claws slashed at his attacker, but they came away only with clumps of fur. Blackfur tasted blood in his mouth and his vision clouded.

Suddenly the pressure eased and Blackfur felt himself crash against the ground. He gasped for breath, and it stung like a thousand claw wounds as he coaxed air back into his strangled body. He coughed blood and felt his body shake uncontrollably. Great StarClan, I'm going to join my brother...

Suddenly, a yowl of pain made Blackfur lift his head, encouraged adrenalin to shoot through his body. Touslefur! The brown tom was fighting against one of SunClan's deadliest warriors...

He needs me! Blackfur, swallowing back against the pain, heaved himself onto unsteady paws. Blood was pulsing freely from his wounds and his vision was spinning, yet pure fear for his friend—now the only one he had left—was giving him strength. He dragged himself across the ground, all other sounds muted and dead to him. He caught glimpses of SkyClan warriors thrashing and fighting against SunClan warriors. Shiftfury was fighting both Squirreltail and Crowfall at once, and though the two young SkyClan warriors were holding their own, patches of their fur were missing and they looked exhausted. Twistrage was biting and slashing at Nettlesplash, though the pale brown warrior was holding his own well.

Then there was Bloodsun—one of the most feared SunClan warriors, pinning Touslefur down with long, deadly claws. A satisfied hiss on the black tom's face, he lunged for the killing bite.

"Leave him alone!" Blackfur cried, hurling himself upon the SunClan cat. He knocked Bloodsun from Touslefur, but the small tom was agile and landed on his paws before he'd even touched the ground. Blackfur, wheezing badly, stood over Touslefur, who lay bruised and injured under him.

What am I doing? The thought flashed through Blackfur's mind. I can't face him! Not like this!

Bloodsun hissed with delight. "Blackfur, isn't it?" he exclaimed. His voice was just as high and as cold as Blackfur remembered it—and it still sent icy shudders crawling up his backbone. "Well, at least you'll die facing your death—the same can't be said for your brother!"

Horror flooded Blackfur. "You killed Darkeye."

"And I'm ready to kill more!" Bloodsun spat. "Starting with you!" Fast as a swallow, he darted forward. Blackfur tried to move his body out of the way but suddenly agony raced up his backbone like fire, and he sank to his paws. He lashed out blindly but Bloodsun was too fast, too dangerous...there was a gleam of bloodlust in the SunClan warrior's eye as the dark tom lunged toward him.

Suddenly there was a flash of brown fur and a single screech. Bloodsun fell back, howling with pain, a long gash near his neck—Touslefur fell before him, crimson welling from his throat, his eyes dull.

"Touslefur!" Blackfur screamed.

"Too late," Bloodsun rasped, an inane purr rumbling in his throat. "Too late!" Choking on his own blood, the SunClan warrior sped away into the battle, slowly beginning to die down.

Blackfur was left staring at the body of his denmate, watching as Touslefur's lifeblood slowly pooled around him and stained his brown fur scarlet.

"Enough!"

The single, desperate yowl rent the air, and just like that, the battle ceased. Breezepelt looked towards where SkyClan's leader stood atop the Rockpile, her fur torn in many places, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear.

Fear. Breezepelt's paws itched. Finally. Took that stubborn she-cat long enough. He stalked away from Rabbitleap's limp form and to the base of the Rockpile. "You've had all that you SkyClan warriors can handle from SunClan's warriors?" he called coldly to her. "I thought SkyClan cats were good with endurance."

She glared fiercely back at him. "Enough with this nonsense, Breezepelt," she snarled. "Take your warriors and go. You have nothing more to gain from this battle."

"We have plenty more to gain from this!" Shiftfury yowled from near the nursery. Breezepelt saw with satisfaction that he had dragged one of the queens out of the shadows there by the scruff of her neck and placed a bloodied claw near her throat. She was whimpering in plain terror.

The dark ginger she-cat who stood atop the Rockpile stared in dismay at the trapped queen, then closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She said evenly, "We have lost enough tonight."

"You've hardly lost anyone," called Redclaw, the starshine catching on the long scar on his flank. "We're only just getting started!"

"Don't expect any more endurance out of these warriors," growled Twistrage. He tipped his lean head to one side and exclaimed wildly, "They're half-kittypet! They're all softpaws, every one of them!"

"You have killed many of our warriors over the moons," Breezepelt heard a gray she-cat meow from the base of the Rockpile. Stormblaze, he remembered—and it was the last part of her name that made his claws scratch angrily on the rocks, made his blood boil in his body. "Many of them day warriors. You have killed our warriors tonight."

"Leave," growled her brother, Harryheart. "You've done enough here."

"Enough, you say?" Breezepelt felt fur lightly brush against his flanks, but he didn't move as Sol appeared before him and the rest of SkyClan—some of who remembered him with barely-restrained fury—his eyes mellow and calm but his voice as powerful as the Dark Forest. "Enough? Oh, but we are just beginning. This is but a taste of the fate that SkyClan has chosen."

"SkyClan makes its own destiny," snarled their leader.

Sol restrained a bitter laugh. "Your destiny is to die," he answered. "Die to SunClan claws, kittypet."

"Bold words for one who first lived in a Twoleg nest, Harry." The dark ginger she-cat's words were scornful, filled with hatred—but what surprised Breezepelt was the name. He glanced at Sol to see him pause, thoughtful on the outside, but shocked within.

"That never was my name," he answered at last, his voice as smooth and as condescending as before. "Never."

"Whatever your name may be, your presence here is needless." She jerked her head towards the entrance to the gorge. "You and your warriors, get out. Enough blood has been spilled this night."

"Not enough blood has stained our claws," Sol called back, raw satisfaction thrumming in his voice. He lifted his voice so he spoke to all of SkyClan. "You think that with the loss of Aura, we're weakened. But you fail to understand that without her, we are strong regardless—with her, we would have been stronger, and you would all have been dead by now. Gone to join your false ancestors."

"You dare speak blasphemy against our ancestors!" Stormblaze shrieked, her fur bristling with barely-withheld rage.

"Your ancestors have no power anymore," Sol answered. "Your medicine cats are only healers now—they no longer speak and listen to the stars or commune with the dead. The time of the stars is over—and they will perish to the rising sun that dominates the sky."

He gave a single nod to the speechless SkyClan cats. "Think on my words," he growled. "You have nobody but yourselves to stand against us and the rising Forest. Think on them, and perhaps, at last, delusional warriors will come to their senses."

He raised his tail and twitched the tip. Silently, wordlessly, the SunClan cats fell back to their leader, walking calmly to his side as though they owned the gorge. Shiftfury gave a low hiss of disappointment and released the queen before stalking back to his Clanmates.

Breezepelt mulled over Sol's words. Stars, sun and sky...

He looked up at the expanse above him, beginning to pale with dawn—their dawn. The sun is rising, the stars are fading and the sky is changing...The dark tom paused. How curious. The only thing that is missing, both in the world and in Sol's promise, is the moon...