Moonwhisker finished her task of cleaning up the herb store, making sure that everything was nice and neat before she and Eagleclaw left for the Moonstone for the half-moon. About a quarter-moon prior to this they had an encounter with a badger that had claimed the lives of both Hollytail and Hazelfern and many more had been injured. Moonwhisker and her mentor had been hard at work treating the wounds of those injured but it left their medicine cat den in quite a state of disarray.

Before they left Moonwhisker turned to her mentor. "I'm going to go check on Nightstorm and Ashkit before we leave."

"Alright." Eagleclaw waved his tail without turning around and Moonwhisker padded over to the nursery after grabbing some borage. After several moons of the nursery being empty Nightstorm had given birth to a single kit who she named Ashkit. He was a dark tabby tom and had the fighting spirit of a fox. Nightstorm had continued to keep the father a secret, but no one on the Clan really bothered her about it.

It was very welcome to have cats in the nursery again, even if it was just a single kit. Moonwhisker had suespected that Nightstorm had carried more kits but they didn't make it as far as Ashkit, especially considering the unfortunate fate of her first two kits, the little ones that Ashkit would never meet.

Moonwhisker poked her head into the nursery and saw Nightstorm washing her paws while Ashkit slept at her side. He had been born just a few days prior and still spent most of his time sleeping. "Good evening, Nightstorm." She mewed kindly.

The queen stopped cleaning her paws and glanced towards the medicine cat. "Hello, Moonwhisker. Here to give me more borage?"

Moonwhisker nodded and set the herb down which Nightstorm ate without hesitation. "Thank you." She mewed. "I am having some issues with my milk, luckily it's just Ashkit even if he eats enough for two whole kits."

Moonwhisker purred. "How is doing? Has he shown any signs of weakness."

Nightstorm shook her head. "Not at all, the opposite in fact. He's already trying to play, even if he does end up sleeping half the day. He's definitely a fighter." She gently touched her muzzle to his forehead.

"I'm glad to hear that." Moonwhisker purred, glancing down at the little bundle of fur who slept peacefully, twitching every once in a while. Oh the dreams of kits. She thought blissfully. "Eagleclaw and I will be leaving for the Moonstone soon, if you need anything we left some extra borage out in the medicine cat den that you can grab if you need."

"Thank you so much, Moonwhisker." Nightstorm dipped her head. "You and Eagleclaw have a safe trip now, may StarClan light your paths."

"Thank you." Moonwhisker purred happily and left the nursery, returning to medicine cat den. "Everything is great with both of them, both Nightstorm and Ashkit are happy, strong and healthy."

"That's good to hear." Eagleclaw mewed, turning to face Moonwhisker. "I was worried that we would lose Ashkit as well. It's about time we got some new apprentices. I'm hoping Petalshine will go and move into the nursery already, she's been pining after Featherfall their whole lives."

Moonwhisker let out a small laugh. "You're not usually one to pay attention to Clan relations, Eagleclaw."

"Look we've been without apprentices for a long time now, we need some." He snorted and padded past her. "Come on, Moonwhisker. We've got to get to the Moonstone and we're wasting time."

Moonwhisker purred in amusement but followed her mentor. Eagleclaw could hide his soft side from the rest of the Clan, but she had spent nearly her entire life with him and she knew the truth. He can act stoic all he wants, but I know he really cares for every single cat in this Clan.

Moonwhisker passed Echoheart assigning patrols on their way out and gave her sister a brief nod which she did not return leaving Moonwhisker feeling slightly uneasy. It had been a little over two moons since Lionstar became leader and named Echoheart his deputy and she had sensed a lot of changes in both of her sisters.

Riverstorm had already gone through a lot, after the death of Batpaw she never truly recovered and something about Echoheart becoming deputy made it even worse. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen the two of them even speak to each other than than when Echoheart was assigning patrols.

She once again thought back to the omen she received such a long time ago, that one of her sisters would venture down a dark and bloody path. For so long she had thought that it would be Riverstorm. Riverstorm had been reckless and arrogant for so long, surely she would've been the one but then both of them changed.

Moonwhisker had seen Echoheart shift into the former caring and compassionate she-cat to one with blank and cold stares, she showed no compassion for her Clanmates and wasn't even sad when their father died. Echoheart had changed, and that changed scared Moonwhisker.

She just couldn't find it in her heart to think that Echoheart would ever hurt another cat, not in a violent way. She had spoken out against pointless battles in the past. What would Echoheart be like as a leader? Would she be peaceful? Or would she change even further and would she lead AshClan down the dark and violent path that Moonwhisker had been warned about. Did I mess up? Should I have been worried about Echoheart this entire time?

Moonwhisker sincerely hoped that she would be able to speak to Featherstorm tonight and get some answers, she needed to know if the omen had already come true or if she still had time to fix it.

The walk to the Moonstone was a long one but they finally started meeting up with the other medicine cats. The first one they saw was Barkclaw of LichenClan and they eventually met up with Poppyfur of SunClan and Ravenheart of MoonClan. "Good evening everyone." Barkclaw mewed once they met up.

Moonwhisker looked to Poppyfur, the SunClan she-cat always seemed to have a haunted look in her eyes, especially since her mentor Honeywing was killed in battle when the LichenClan leader Elmstar led an assault on their Clan. The Clan was now led by Jaggedstar and much more peaceful.

"How's the prey running." Ravenheart greeted kindly.

"It's well." Barkclaw responded. "And you?"

"Also well, thank you."

"May we please continued." Eagleclaw growled. "We're not here to exchange pleasantries."

"As grumpy as ever I see, Eagleclaw." Ravenheart chuckled, but the medicine cats continued forward. They crossed the river and ventured into the chilling Spirit Woods. Moonwhisker also wasn't much more conversations tonight, she needed to get answers about her sisters.

At long last they reached the Spirit Tree and descended into the dark cavern below where the Moonstone was housed. Moonwhisker waited no time laying down before the stone and touching her nose to the cold surface.

She instantly slipped into a quiet slumber before opening her eyes and finding herself in the Spirit Woods, the trees glowing brighter than ever. "Featherstorm?" She called out, frantically hoping to see the old medicine cat.

"I'm here, Moonwhisker." The gentle voice of the medicine cat spoke and soon enough the silver she-cat appeared in front of her. "You're worried about your sisters."

"I am." Moonwhisker admitted, letting out a sigh. "I was so certain that the cat that was going down the bloody path was Riverstorm. Did I stop her? Did she change or was I wrong, is Echoheart the one destined for violence?"

"I was certain that it was Riverstorm as well, but when I look at them I still see the same vision. One down a path of light, one down a path of bloodshed. I believe that Echoheart is the one we need to worry about."

'But what I can do stop that?" Moonwhisker pleaded. "Can I still stop her?"

"I do not know, Moonwhisker." Featherstorm sighed. "This is as just as frustrating for me. I wish I could simply look into the future and tell you the right answer, but I can't. The best advice I can give is for you to open your heart to your sister, try and repair the relationship between her and Riverstorm, she needs the two of you."

"What if she doesn't accept that?"

"You have to try, Moonwhisker. You have to keep trying and if you are unable...then Echoheart will need to be stopped before she can harm her Clan or anyone in it. Trust me, Moonwhisker." Feathernose touched her muzzle to Moonwhisker's forehead. "I believe in you, you can save your sister still."

*****

Moonwhisker rose from her nest the nest morning after returning from the Moonstone. She had barely slept as she tried to figure out a way to reform the relationship between Riverstorm and Echoheart that had long been tattered and broken. I have to try. Moonwhisker told herself and after checking on Nightstorm and Ashkit again, decided to try and find Echoheart. She had a feeling that it would be more difficult convincing her than Riverstorm.

She spotted her sister organizing patrols as she usually did and approached her whens he was finished. "Good morning, Echoheart." She dipped her head. Echoheart turned her to her, her murky green eyes once again filled with the same emptiness that Moonwhisker had grown used to.

"Did you need something Moonwhisker?"

"Just to talk, if you have time." Moonwhisker did her best to sound cheerful. "You've been so busy lately, I miss my sister."

"Alright." Echoheart gave a small nod, her expression unchanging. "I have a bit of time before I go on patrol. What did you need?"

"Let's go on a walk." Moonwhisker suggested. "We'll be back in time, I promise." Echoheart didn't object and Moonwhisker led her out in the forest.

"What did you want to talk about?" Echoheart questioned once they were outside of camp.

"I just wanna see how you're doing. You're doing a great job as deputy, I wanted to let you know."

"Thanks." Echoheart replied, but there was no sincerity in her mew. "You seem uncomfortable, Moonwhisker. Is everything okay?"

Moonwhisker stopped and let out a quiet sigh. I won't get anywhere with small talk. "I'm just a bit worried about you, Echoheart."

"Why are you worried about me?" Echoheart's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You've just...changed. You're not the same cat you used to be. You're just so...distant."

For a moment, Echoheart's eyes darkened. "Is that such a bad thing? Is it so bad that I'm no longer the cat that everyone used to take advantage of?" Her tone of voice shifted, she was getting upset.

"That's not what--"

"Of course it's what you meant, Moonwhisker." Echoheart's expression had finally changed, but it was one of anger. "I'm not the perfect little obedient she-cat just trying her best. The cat that Riverstorm and our father treated like waste of space, the one that every cat in this Clan saw as weak." She hissed. "I'm not that cat and I never will be again."

"Echoheart I didn't mean anything by it."

"Don't act so sweet and innocent, Moonwhisker.' Echoheart spat, causing Moonwhisker to wince. "You act so high and mighty as a medicine cat sometimes it sickens me. You try so hard to fix me when you never even stopped to consider that I don't want to be fixed." Her voice lowered into a growl. "This is the cat that everyone else has turned me into and it is the cat that everyone else is stuck with."

Moonwhisker took a step back. "It doesn't have to be this way, you, me and Riverstorm could---"

"I don't want to hear anything about Riverstorm!" Echoheart suddenly shouted, she looked at Moonwhisker with pure rage in her eyes, Moonwhisker flattened herself to the ground, feeling a brief sensation of fear. Echoheart would never hurt me. She reminded herself. "Riverstorm treated me like fox-dung my entire life! I don't owe her or anyone else, anything!" Echoheart glared down at her sister. "And that includes you. I don't need sisters." She turned away, flicking her tail. "Goodbye, Moonwhisker." She padded back towards camp, leaving Moonwhisker alone and trembling.

I failed. Moonwhisker thought. I'm too late, I don't know if I can stop her anymore. Moonwhisker stared after her sister, an overwhelming sensation of dread filling her heart. She's too far gone. Oh Echoheart, I'm so sorry.