Cricketpaw sighed, wincing as Berrywhisker licked herbs into her wounds. It had been a day after the battle at the Gathering, but Cricketpaw didn't -understand. Why didn't StarClan appear to help? Why did StarClan let Birdstar die?

Last night, Hollydapple, the JungleClan deputy, had gone to the Moonpool with Moonshadow, the JungleClan medicine cat. Hollydapple received her nine lives there, she was then called Hollystar. But Birdstar...

"I can't believe Hollydapple is the leader now," Rosepaw mewed softly, curling a claw into the moss. Rosepaw's pinkish-whitish pelt brushed Cricketpaw's, and they walked out the Apprentice's den.

"-and I gave Bramblestorm a swipe he wouldn't forget! Within a tail-flick, I had already striked him across his side! He was down in an instant!" Wavestorm was explaining to Adderpaw. Adderpaw was looking at Wavestorm with big, wide eyes.

"And? What happened next?" Adderpaw begged. 

"A screech! Birdstar was fighting Dawnstar, but Dawnstar had... um... made her pass...away?" Wavestorm winced.

"Yeah! DawnClan rules! Birdstar was so weak that even I bet I could one-shot her!" Adderpaw put on a menace expression and slashed the air, his red fur spiking up along his back.

"Shush, little one," Otterdawn padded over and cuffed his ear with a paw. "The world isn't fair. We have to be peaceful. Birdstar was a great leader, and she led JungleClan footstep by footstep from the falling trees of Twoleg town. That was a brave move! But JungleClan and DawnClan got into a fight with borders..." Otterdawn paused, taking a moment to think. 

"Don't get too worried, Otterdawn!" Stormleaf walked over and curled his tail around Otterdawn's shoulders. "The past is the past. We have to focus on the future."

"Pfft. A pair of philosophers," Adderpaw rolled his eyes and stalked off.

"Sorry, I forgot that we had to learn some moves!" Windblossom bounded over and told Adderpaw, "Let's go train!"

 Adderpaw glared at them one more time, and dashed away, following his mentor. Cricketpaw leaped up and looked at Duskrose. "I can't believe that Birdstar died..."

Duskrose shook her head. "As what Otterdawn and Stormleaf said, we can't look into the past, and we must look at the future. Also, JungleClan still has Birdstar's kin: her mate Kestrelfang, her kits Fireclaw and Shimmerpool. Birdstar's bloodline will be passed from dynasty to dynasty, and so will ours. Shimmerpool had her kits last night; she gave birth to Sparrowkit and Larkkit. Sparrowkit looked so much like Birdstar; Sparrowkit is their living memory of Birdstar!"

Cricketpaw felt a prickle of guiltiness in her heart. During the battle she had slashed her pelt of Kestrelfang and kicked Fireclaw away, and she didn't stop Skyheart from tackling Shimmerpool to the ground.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Duskrose meowed, as if she could read her mind. "Sparrowkit and Larkkit have a strong mother. They will live and grow into great warriors for JungleClan."

"Yeah..." Cricketpaw murmured. "I wish I could-"

A shriek sounded from inside the camp, cutting Cricketpaw's words. They dashed into camp, to find Moonfrost wailing.

"Sparroweyes are gone! She's my dear kit; oh, where is she?" Moonfrost was going crazy, smashing walls and trampling roots.

"Moonfrost!" Dawnstar called. Moonfrost turned around with tears in her eyes. "We will find Sparroweyes, don't worry!" Dawnstar confronted. Then she yowled, "Nightclaw, Cloudsplash, and Jayheart! Go find Sparroweyes!" 

Nightclaw, Cloudsplash and Jayheart with eating prey. When they heard their mission they bolted up and dashed out of camp, talking seriously to one another.

"Sparroweyes, where could you be?" Moonfrost continued to wail, but her mate Gorsestream stalked up and drew a shaky tail down her spine, leading her into the warriors' den.

Cricketpaw sighed. Sparroweyes was gone! She remembered Sparroweyes, the brave warrior who told her funny stories, the warrior who shared prey with her.

A few moments later, she heard Nightclaw's yowl. "We found her!" The patrol ran into camp, dragging a ginger she-cat with white and brown splotches. The she-cat was gritting her teeth with effort, and her paw was bleeding.

"What? ...How?" Dawnstar asked, puzzled.

"Is that... Sparroweyes! Sparroweyes!" Moonfrost bolted from the den and began nuzzling Sparroweyes. "You scared me half to death!"

"I- ow!" Sparroweyes gasped. Her paw injury was already turning a bit dark purple, and it emitted the scent of blood and infection.

"Some cat is injured! The wound is infected!" Berrywhisker yowled, bounding past, treating Sparroweyes's wounds.

"Why are you... injured?" Moonfrost asked her daughter, her voice trembling with worry.

"A StarClan cursed... ow... twoleg... trap..." Sparroweyes wheezed through gasps of pain. Cricketpaw cringed and looked at the wound. The wound looks deep, and Cricketpaw didn't know if the herbs would work.

"Twoleg trap?" Dawnstar's gaze darkened. "Like those where you step on it and two sharp things come and snap your paw?"

"Yes... that!" Sparroweyes gasped. "It hurts!"

"You won't remember the pain after," Moonfrost promised. "You are a strong cat. You can bear this!" She licked her daughter's check vigorously. Gorsestream came up and nuzzled Sparroweyes.

"It must have hurt!" Cricketpaw exclaimed to Duskrose. Duskrose nodded her head solemly. Then Cricketpaw realized that the Twolegs might have wanted to catch rabbits or mice. But wait... rabbits and mice were the wild cat's prey! She had heard stories of clan cats that were captured by Twolegs, turned into kittypets, and lived their whole lives as a kittypet. The Twolegs might want to capture the cats' prey, to starve the cats and make them slower, and then capture them! That thought sent a shiver down her spine. 

"Yes, of course," Duskrose murmured. "Sparroweyes was lucky enough to survive. Some cats have fallen into the traps and have never returned..."

Cricketpaw gasped. Her legs began to tremble, which made her buckle into the ground.

"Are you alright?" Duskrose gasped, rushing to her side. 

Cricketpaw sighed. "I'm alright. I'm just... dazed," She looked at the sky. Oh, StarClan! Why are we living in such a forest, with horrible Twolegs?! Living here, the clans are just waiting for death!