Silence. Then the cats began muttering to each other, abandoning the conversation on Nightpaw.

"We have to go see her!" Nightpaw gasped.

"Yes." agreed Fawnmist. "Let's go."

The cats headed towards the camp.

"That was cool!" meowed Sunpaw, catching up to her brother.

"What?" Nightpaw stared at her.

"No." meowed Sunpaw. "I didn't mean Swiftstar dying, if that's what you're thinking." She continued. "I meant you lighting up on fire. How did you do that?"

So apparently not everyone abandoned the conversation about me. Thought Nightpaw. "I'm not sure." He mewed. "And this might not be the right time to talk about it."

"I guess." Sunpaw meowed, her tone filled with grief from the depressing news.

"Maybe Swiftstar will make it!" Nightpaw mewed, trying to sound cheerful. But he did not have much hope either.

They reached to camp. The cats headed inside the medicine den.

"Get back out!" Dappleleaf yowled. "Swiftstar needs some space."

"Lightfire." Nightpaw caught a glimpse of the ill Thunderclan leader. Her body was ill and frail. Swifstar spoke again. "Lightfire, come here."

Lightfire's eyes were filled with grief. Her father and her littermates were dead. Her only family member, her mother, Swiftstar, was about to die too.

Nightpaw was ushered out the medicine den, but he continued to hover outside, close enough to hear the cats inside talking.

"Will she survive?" Lightfire asked Dappleleaf.

Dappleleaf shook her head sadly. "Likely not. The wound had gone a few days without being treated."

"I-Is this her l-last l-life?" Lightfire's voice shook.

"Yes." Dappleleaf meowed softly. "I'm so sorry."

"How long will she still be alive for?"

"Possibly one more sunrise." The medicine cat mewed.

Lightfire stared at her mother. Swiftstar coughed. "I'll live." she meowed.

Dappleleaf raised her eyes to stare at her leader. "How?" she meowed softly, almost in a whisper.

Before Nightpaw could hear Swiftstar's respond, Kestrelstripe nudged him. "We're reporting you to Redpelt."

Nightpaw turned his head towards Sunpaw's mentor. "Why Redpelt?"

"He'll be the next leader."

"Are you saying that you want Swiftstar to die?" Nightpaw growled, his pelt bristling.

"Dappleleaf made it clear that she's going to die!"

Nightpaw wanted to yowl a sharp retort. Sunpaw placed her tail gently over his back. "She too ill right now to talk to." She meowed. "We'll talk to her when she's better."

Nightpaw knew that Kestrelstripe was right. Swiftstar is going to die soon.

The cats padded up to Redpelt.

"What is it?" The ThunderClan deputy asked, obviously anxious over Swiftstar's infection.

"It's about Nightpaw." Kestrelstripe growled. She explained the situation. Sometimes another mentor would add more information to the story. Redpelt listened carefully.

When Kestrelstripe got to the part where Branchpaw unsheathed his claws, Redpelt asked, "Did Shadewatcher tried to stop him."

"No." Kestrelstripe mewed briskly. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering."

"You're keeping something form me." The flame-coloured she-cat grumbled.

"Well," Redpelt hesitated. "I was going to choose Shadewatcher for the next deupty if Swiftstar... you know." He trailed off.

"So?" prompted Kestrelstripe.

Redpelt was not the type to snap, "None of your business." Instead, he meowed, "Now I'm not sure about that."

"Doesn't he need to finish apprenticing to become deputy?" asked Sunpaw.

"It's his second time apprenticing." explained Redpelt.

"Ahem." Kestrelstripe twitched her tail tip impatiently.

Redpelt nodded at his kin. "Continue with what you are saying."

For the rest of the explanation, he listened without interrupting.

"Now what should we do with him?" Nightpaw flinched at Kestrelstripe's tone. She made it sound like I am ThunderClan's captive prisoner.

The red-pelted deputy thought for a moment, Finally, he turned to Nightpaw and asked, "Did you burn down anything?"

Nightpaw examined his fur. "I... don't think so."

Redpelt looked at the other cats. "Did he burn the grass?"

Flutterpaw shook her head. "I didn't see any burnt grass. Leafpaw was closest to the battle." She turned to the smooth-furred tabby.

Leafpaw curled her tail in elegantly. "That is true." She meowed in her smooth and cunning tone. "I did not see burnt grass, but..." Leafpaw meowed, meowing the next phrase dramatically. "Branchpaw received a terrible injury."

Nightpaw tried to cut in, but the she-cat apprentice continued. "Perhaps you got Branchpaw burnt instead?" Leafpaw narrowed her eyes at Nightpaw. She padded over to the brown tom, "Branchpaw-".

Redpelt interrupted. I guess he's annoyed by her too. "Branchpaw, did you get burned?"

Branchpaw shook his head. "No. It was just like a slice of pain." He showed a small gash on his flank.

Redpelt nodded. "Good." He turned to Kestrelstipe. "I see no need to exile Nightpaw." He countinued, "It is Swiftstar's choice, of course, but since Nightpaw apparently didn't burn anything, I believe that he'll be no harm."

Nightpaw blinked at the red tom gratefully. I'm glad that I'm not exiled. He thought. But a evil part of his mind said, you'll soon be exiled... After all, you are a murder, right?

Nightpaw shook his head, clearing the thought. He wished that his brain would stop whispering to him.

"The matter is discussed then." meowed Stormflight.

"Yes." Agreed Redpelt. "Cedarfoot, tell Smokepelt and Moonheart that they will be going on hunting patrol with you, Ivypond, and Fawnmist. Bring your apprentices." The ginger tom obeyed. 

The ThunderClan deputy continued. "Shadewatcher, tell Ambershine, Rainfire, and Spidernose that they'll be going on Sunhigh patrol with you and me." Redpelt glanced at Branchpaw. "Will you be able to make it?"

Branchpaw nodded.

"Good. " He turned back to Shadewatcher. "Bring your apprentices."

Redpelt dismissed the warriors.

Nightpaw headed back towards the medicine den. Should I continue to eavesdrop? 

Before he could decide, Sunpaw's mew sounded behind him. "Let's share this vole." She meowed. "The dawn patrol caught extra while patrolling."

"Should we let the elder's have it first?" Nightpaw asked. 

"The elders already ate." Sunpaw meowed. She ushered the vole closer to him. "Here, you have first bite. I bet you're hungry, turning your fur into flames this morning."

Nightpaw decided to to mention that his fur DID NOT turn into flames. "Thanks." He meowed, chewing the fresh-kill.

The two littermates shared the prey. They were almost finished devouring it. Nightpaw glanced in the direction of highledge. Lightfire was helping Swiftstar to get on the ledge, supporting her flank.

"Look." Nightpaw nudged Sunpaw lightly with his shoulder. 

"Hmm?" Sunpaw looked up from the vole. "What are they doing?" She asked between mouthful of bites.

"I don't know." Nightpaw meowed. "I think Swiftstar is going to hold a clan meeting."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge!" The ill leader's voice was weak. Redpelt heard her voice just before he left with his patrol. He went to the foot of Highledge and yowled more clearly,

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge!" 

Swiftstar murmured a thanks to the red-pelted deputy. 

As soon as the cats gathered, the ThunderClan leader spoke. "I'm sure you all know," began Swiftstar. "That it is my time to leave and join StarClan."

The cats mumured to each other sadly. No one commented at what she just said.

"So, as my final move as leader, " Swiftstar took a deep breath. "I will have Skykit apprenticed."