This chapter is about double the size of my usual chapters. Beware.

I'm dead. I'm dead, Flamepaw told himself as all fell silent. Then he opened his eyes. He still saw all the grass in front of his eyes, the cold air of the morning tickling his pelt.

I'm not dead?

He looked up, expecting to see the badger above him, but it was lumbering off. With his mentor's body in its jaws.

"No!" Flamepaw screeched. "Bring her back right now!" He ran forward, but suddenly he stopped. He felt a tug on his tail and sprung back, pain in his tail. He turned around to see Ashfang and Sandcloud behind him, sorrow in their gaze. Dread rose within Flamepaw like bile in his throat as he processed everything that had just happened.

Ferntail is dead.

He felt like crying, but he wasn't a kit anymore. He swallowed back a wail of sorrow. "L-let's go back to camp," he meowed in the calmest way he could muster, though he heard the obvious shakiness in his tone. His legs were wobbling, his ears were low, and his tail was between his legs in fright.

"Good idea." It was Ashfang who spoke. "We can't sit here forever. We must go." Ashfang padded off, Sandcloud behind him. But Flamepaw didn't move. He looked at the grass, tainted with Ferntail's blood. The cat whom he might never see again. He was planted to the floor, as if his paws were rooted into the soft dirt. Flamepaw wished the dirt would encase him, and that he could just wallow in his sorrow for all eternity. But that could not happen.

"Flamepaw, are you coming?" Sandcloud came back, and sat down beside him. Ashfang groaned, and laid down in the sun.

"Do you really not care?" Flamepaw asked, a scowl in his tone. He rose to his paws, tail lashing. His teeth were bared. "Do you really not care that your clanmate is dead?"

"It happens to every cat." Ashfang meowed in a nonchalant tone. "Besides, all she did was pick leaves from the dirt. Who cares about her?"

Flamepaw turned to Sandcloud, seeking understanding, but she just shook her head. Does she agree with him, too?

The three padded back to camp in a despairing silence, Flamepaw dragging his paws across the ground. His claws left score marks in the loose grime, and it got stuck between his pads.

Eventually, the trio had trudged back to camp. Quickly, Eaglewing raced up to them, followed closely by Mothstar.

"What happened?" Eaglewing questioned. "Where is Ferntail?" He added with a glance toward the entrance.

Sandcloud padded forward to speak to the worried deputy. "We found two badgers - probably family - in the deep woods near the outer border." She explained in the most serious tone she could muster.

"That's terrible," Mothstar gasped. "What do we do?" She turned to her deputy.

"I don't know," Eaglewing snarled, "you're the leader."

Mothstar sighed wearily, turning back to Flamepaw and the warriors. By then, quite a few of Flamepaw's clanmates had gathered around the conversing cats, speaking in hushed voices.

This time Flamepaw stepped up. "The badgers attacked us when we were separated." He meowed, his voice shaking.

"The badger killed Ferntail," Ashfang concluded.

"That's. . . Horrible." Mothstar was horrified. "We must get a new medicine cat. . ." She turned to face Flamepaw. A sudden realization flooded over him.

Am I. . . The new medicine cat?

"I had so much more to learn!" He cried, flopping into a heap of fur. He began to purr, calming himself. He curled tighter as Sandcloud washed his fur in exasperation and tiredness.

"It's alright, Flamepaw. . ." She whispered.

"Get over it," Ashfang hissed. Taken aback by her brother's rudeness, Sandcloud stood straighter.

"You're right, Ashfang. We do not mourn for losses of such feeble cats likewise." Eaglewing spoke, his powerful voice ringing in Flamepaw's ears as a few gasps rang out among the cats around.

Am I feeble, too?

Flamepaw struggled to a stand, trembling in front of Eaglewing and Mothstar. His fur was ruffled, tangled with his old mentor's blood. It was wrapped around twigs and leaves; he felt as though he was a rouge compared to his cleanly washed leader and clanmates around him. They gave him sympathetic glances, and Flamepaw held back scowls at the pitying cats around him.

"Flamepaw, since your mentor has passed on, you must become the new medicine cat." Mothstar meowed. She began to pad toward highrock. "All cats who can catch their own prey gather under highrock for a Clan meeting!" She called. Quickly, the circling cats twisted to face highrock.

"Flamepaw, you have been a wonderful student under Ferntail's teaching. I believe it is the time for you to become a true medicine cat, to take her place. Tonight, you must travel to the Dynasty to share tongues and sleep there. There, they will decide your medicine name."

~×~•~×~

That night, when the sun had fallen beneath the earth, Flamepaw traversed through his territory alone. He had been to the Dynasty's border, but had never been allowed to cross it. He recalled his mentor telling him that medicine cats have the privilege of crossing it. Secretly, they had a truce among one another, as they were the only peacemakers. His mentor had told him that they all shared a secret belief that no other cat knew of, a secret from long ago.

He twisted under a low branch, and finally arrived at the border to the Dynasty. Gathering his courage, he stepped across.

An array of Dynasty scents washed over one another, both stale and fresh. Flamepaw swallowed the scents down his throat, and trudged on. The ugly muddy plains transformed into a bright land, spotted with trees and flowers. Flamepaw, amazed by a beautiful land he had never been allowed to lay his eyes on, got distracted. He frolicked in the grass, batting at the butterflies still fluttering among the starry night sky.

"Flamepaw?"

The flame-colored tom turned to see another, winged this time, in front of him. They stood, jaws open, staring at one another.

"Blaze!" Flamepaw gasped in realization, pouncing on his brother. Blaze let out a loud set of purrs, bouncing away and flicking himself into the air with his feathery wings. The cold air shot out from the appendages washed over Flamepaw.

Blaze floated to the ground, and stood in front of Flamepaw; a warm look was in his eyes.

"What brings you here? I haven't seen you in some time." Blaze glanced around. "What if some cat sees you? You should head back. . ."

Flamepaw realized that Blaze did not know why he was there. "I am going to become a full medicine cat," he explained. "I need to talk to our father - Sun."

"Right," Blaze meowed, nodding. "I'll escort you there, then." Suddenly, the Dynasty cat was acting as though the two brothers were not related at all. Flamepaw decided to ignore it.

Flamepaw fell on his hindquarters as a sudden burst of air blasted his face, and Blaze was up in the air. After Flamepaw's disapproving look, he floated back down.

"S-sorry. I forgot you didn't. . . Nevermind."

Flamepaw smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, Blaze. Now can you show me to your camp? I've forgotten, since the only time I've been across this path was when I was a kit, anyway." He padded on when Blaze took the lead again, looking relieved.

The two eventually arrived at the Dynasty's camp when the sun had begun to set. It looked different than Flamepaw remembered.

"Follow me," Blaze meowed suddenly, padding forward suddenly. Flamepaw recognized Sun's den as he and Blaze padded into it, thorn-covered vines grazing their pelts. Flamepaw smiled when he saw that his father, Sun, was sleeping soundly in his den.

Blaze sighed, and began to prod his father. Flamepaw's ears perked up with surprise.

"Shouldn't you let him sleep?" Flamepaw questioned as his father began to twitch awake.

His brother shook his head. "It would be too late if he did."

"Too late for what-"

Suddenly, Flamepaw was forced onto his back, a large tom atop him. The tom's broad shoulders were glued in place when he tried to struggle.

The tom scowled. "Who told you, FallenClan scum, to trudge into the Star's territory?" He turned to Blaze, who was cowering, wings engulfing him in his shame. "Blaze, not another one of your games, is this?"

Blaze quickly shook his head as soon as the words were out. "N-no, Roar. You see, this is Flamepaw. He is ready to b-become a medicine cat." Blaze ducked his head.

"A medicine cat, hm? You would need one right now if you weren't one yourself, for prancing around our territory like you own the place-" He was cut off from a furious yowl to his side which knocked him off Flamepaw in surprise.

"Roar! What are you doing in my den?" Flamepaw recognized Sun as he stood up, his red tabby tail lashing, amber eyes flashing.

Roar sat and dipped his head. "I am sorry. I saw Flamepaw, and thought he was intruding."

Only then did Sun notice Flamepaw there. A look of relief flashed in his eyes, and then it was gone. He turned away. "Blaze, Roar, leave us."

Flamepaw heard the stiff paw steps of the Dynasty cats leaving the den, not willing to risk a snappy comeback. Only then did Flamepaw stand again, giving his chest fur a few embarrassed licks.

"Flamepaw, what are you doing here?" Sun inquired, sitting down neatly with his tail over his paws. "It has been a long time since I have seen you."

Flamepaw nodded. "I am here because. . ." He took a deep breath. Now he had to believe it. He knew it was true, but now he had to tell the truth. His mentor. . . "Ferntail is dead. I must become the new medicine cat."

Sun seemed oddly unconcerned, not even a hint of sorrow in his eyes. "It happens to every cat," he meowed in a calm tone. "Come, and Leaf will give you your true name."

Flamepaw quickly forgot about his mentor, overcome with joy and excitement upon the idea of receiving his true name. His paws absently took him to Leaf, the cat who, moons ago, had helped him get kitted. He wondered if she would still be the same kind, caring, selfless cat he knew before.

Leaf stood before him before he realized where he was. With a flick of her tail, Sun was quickly gone. She turned to face Flamepaw, her blue eyes serious and cold. "I knew you were coming," she informed him.

Flamepaw cocked his head. "How?" He asked, suddenly curious.

"I was told." Leaf meowed. "By AuraClan."

Flamepaw narrowed his eyes. "Who is that? I've never seen them around here."

Leaf shook her head. "Only medicine cats can, Flamepaw. You will soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Ferntail did not tell you? It is very important you know this information. . ."

Flamepaw searched his mind for any signs of this 'AuraClan'. Had his mentor told him? To teach you something. For once, no distractions, no. . . Ferntail had tried to tell him!

"She never did," Flamepaw said, mostly telling the truth. "Can you tell me?"

"They will tell you, Flamepaw. They will tell you who they are. Come with me." Leaf suddenly padded away into the darkness of her den, but Flamepaw found that there was no wall, and they walked among the darkness for what felt like moons. Flamepaw could not tell if he was going up or down, and hit his head on the cold, wet rock multiple times. Leaf navigated the area well, however. Finally, the dark cave opened into a small den with a rock in the middle.

It shined a beautiful shade of blue, like the morning sky. It was pointed upward in a mountain-like shape, bits of it pointing outward. Small versions of the stone poked out along the walls, and the hard floor under Flamepaw's paws were glowing and smooth.

A dark shape stepped forward, and Flamepaw could barely recognise Leaf's face in the darkness, apart from the blue light that shined on her pelt and reflected onto the wet walls. Leaf stepped forward, crouching, with her nose a whisker-length away from the stone. She beckoned for Flamepaw to do the same with her tail as she touched the stone, and fell limp. Quiet snores soon played as Flamepaw reluctantly followed her practice.

He no longer felt the stone beneath his pads, and the coldness vanished. His pelt was warm with sunlight, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself in the middle of an open plain. Starry cats pranced happily, playing among one another. Leaf was nowhere to be seen.

A voice sounded behind him, deep and calm. It made all of the other cats fall silent.

"Welcome to AuraClan, Flamepaw. We have been expecting you."

~×~•~×~

Finally, another chapter oml

Sorry, I've had a lot to do

I did a lot of drawing, and kind of forgot about this book for awile

But you know I've begun working on it because it's 2000 words!!

Well, it was fun.

What do y'all think of AuraClan? Ik you don't know much, but do you have any suspicions or ideas about who they might be?

Lol it is cool 2 know

SHOUTOUT TO ThePJOGirl for reading this book so diligently and commenting so kindly!! Check them out now bc they r great

-Bramble