"So," Skyflight asked, twigs cracking beneath her paws as she paddled. "What did you want to tell me?"

"A lot of stuff."

Nightstrike told her everything. From the nightmare he had when he was a kit to the fact that he could move objects without touching to blue fire. The only information he left out was his meetings with Blossomflower, and the fact that he had loved the SkyClan cat before Skyflight.

By the time he was finished, Nightstrike was panting and gasping for breath.

Skyflight had remained quiet to whole time.

She finally spoke. "Wow. So you have special powers, that might not be too special, but still cool powers."

"What do you mean by 'might not be too special'?" Nightstrike asked, tilting his head.

"Like," Skyflight meowed, "everyone's special. You have your powers, I... I learned faster than anyone since I was a kit, and grew up faster."

Nightstrike remember how Skyflight had been apprenticed four moons early. "But... had anyone ever had powers like this since Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing?"

Skyflight paused. "I think that there were some rogues with these powers. Sleekfur told me some stories about them..."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sleekfur had met a rogue when she was young. The rogue's name was Asterisk. She could control water or something."

"I'm not a rogue." Nightstrike meowed. Unless... Unless the nightmare wasn't a nightmare...

"I know you aren't." Skyflight suddenly looked down at her paws. "Maybe StarClan gave you powers."

"Are you... hiding something from me?"

"I don't want to drag you into this mess."

"You can trust me. I'll be fine."

"It's just that... there are cats that are..." Skyflight struggled for the right word. "Different."

"Different." Nightstrike echoed. "How?"

"I don't know. But they're not entirely cats. Like me."

"You're... Not fully a cat?"

"Yes." Skyflight meowed again. "Only part cat." She looked down sadly. "Now... I think you'll just want to get away from me."

"I'll never leave you." Nightstrike meowed. "Now, tell me more."

"Okay." Skyflight meowed. "The rogues that are not entirely cat have special powers, while the clan ones don't."

Nightstrike's fur stood up. "Do they call upon their ancestors to give them blessings?" Like what my 'mother' did in my nightmare?

"I don't think so." Skyflight's head snapped up, as if thinking what Nightstrike was thinking. "Are you sure it was a nightmare?"

"Yeah." Because if it was real, my life will be ruined. Nightstrike tried to not think of his virtual dead littermates.

"You're not a murderer." Skyflight whispered, as if reading his mind. "And I trust that you won't be."

But you would. The evil voice in Nightstrike's mind spoke. One day, you would be.

~

Gathering. Something Nightstrike had dreaded. Blossomflower would be there. And she probably wouldn't assume that Nightstrike had found another crush in less than a moon.

Nightstrike paddled off the slippery bark and entered the gathering island. Skyflight appeared next to him, putting her tail on his spine.

The ThunderClan cats settled next to the WindClan and ShadowClan cats.

Skyflight and Sunheart lead Nightstrike to a group of warriors.

"Are you new?" A tortoiseshell WindClan warrior asked. "I'm Slatefur, and this is Hollowpelt." She meowed, pointing at a skinny tom.

"And I'm Asterwing." The ShadowClan she-cat flicked her tail. "I'm glad that you all became warriors."

"What do you mean?" Flutterwing asked nearby.

"Psst." Asterwing pointed at a black and grey pelt. "Darkpaw is still not a warrior, and he's twenty moons old already."

Nightstrike's gaze darkened. Darkpaw. The cat who lead his father into a death trap.

"How-" Sunheart's question was cut off.

"Let the gathering begin!" Shadestar's voice yowled.

The leaders began sharing the status of their clan. Blossomflower became a warrior, prey is running well, our clan is thriving...

"We have three new warriors," Redstar announced. "Hollyfern , Hawkclaw, Hazelfeather, Skyflight, Nightstrike, and Sunheart!"

(Most of) The cats cheered out their names, and Nightstrike felt his chest swell with pride.

As the remaining leaders reported, Nightstrike noticed Blossomflower staring at him. His pelt was pressed with Skyflight's.

Nightstrike tore his gaze away from the white she-cat.

But as the rest of the gathering continues, Nightstrike felt Blossomflower's gaze following him all the way until he leaves the island.

~

Nightstrike lay down on his nest. It had been another normal day, going on patrols (and sometimes collecting bedding) as usual.

"I really hope Kestrelstripe's kits become apprentices soon," Sunheart was saying, "I don't like collecting bedding or cleaning dens."

"They'll become apprentinces soon." Nightstrike yawned. "I wonder why Mouseflower's kits became warriors so early."

Sunheart purred. "Maybe Redstar forgot how their age."

"Um-hm." Nightstrike closed his eyes.

"Nightstrike," Sunheart meowed. "Do you like Skyflight?"

Nightstrike's eyes flew open. "Uh...."

"Just curios."

"Maybe?"

"Oooo." Hazelfeather's voice sounded nearby.

"Arghhhh." Nightstrike dropped back into his nest. "Sunheart, please don't be so loud next time."

"Ha ha." Sunheart dropped into her nest as well.

~

When Nightstrike opened his eyes, he saw a trial of blood, leading him through bare hills and fields.

Curiously, he followed the trial, smelling Sunheart's scent.

Suddenly, something flashed before him, blinding his eyes. It loomed over Nightstrike, ready to crush him.

That's when Nightstrike knew that he had to wake up. Danger is on the brink.