"It's been a moon, Wildfire," Blizzard whispered to her sister, who was fidgeting in her nest. The little she-cat lifted her head and slowly got up, stretching her legs out. The silver she-cat positioned herself in front of the old Storm Siblings den, making sure Viper or Python wouldn't shove his nose where it didn't belong. Hearing those words lit the golden cat's face, giving her a spark in her stiff bones. Seeing her get up after a moon's worth of laying in a dark den made a smile cross the silver cat's face.

     She was taken back at the growth of her sister, who now stood at her height when she sat down. When Blizzard stood up, Wildfire barely touched the top of her shoulders. Her heart fluttered with warmth, knowing her little sister was growing into a strong she-cat. Instincts took over and she embraced the tiny cat, pouring all her love into the small body. Just like before, the she-cat sucked up the attention and took advantage of any kind of warmth.

     Oh, how she's grown, she's not the same little she-cat I've known. Pride swarmed through her and Blizzard pulled away, looking at Wildfire all over. There was a gleam of excitement in her eyes, ready to leave the den she was trapped in.

     "Does this mean I can finally leave and go?!" her sister exclaimed with a bounce, almost blowing their cover. Blizzard pressed a paw on her sister's back, lowering her back to the ground. Wildfire glared at her but didn't say anything offensive back.

     "Yes," Blizzard replied, pressing her head to Wildfire's ear. "But the problem is we can't find Hurricane anywhere. Firestorm has searched for the past moon and hasn't even caught a whiff of any scent that belongs to her. I can't just leave you out there and expect you to survive on your own, you've done nothing but stay in this den for an entire moon."

     "But I can't stay here much longer! Don't you understand?!" Wildfire moaned. "When I heard about your plan, I couldn't just sit there anymore! Knowing that Hurricane is out there with Lightning trying to find a way to end all of this isn't sitting well with me. I want to get out of here and help her in some way." She sighed, curling her tail around her paws. "Even now, this is the most I've moved since I got here. You wouldn't understand."

     But I would, Wildfire, Blizzard thought, sadness sweeping through her gaze. You wouldn't understand half of it, being honest. It only lasted a single moon for you, doing nothing except stare at an open exit, pretending to be dead. She sat down, supporting her sister with a reassuring nudge. Wildfire didn't respond and kept her angered gaze away.

     You didn't spend your entire life staring at your father and siblings as they grew up, knowing you couldn't do anything to protect them. It hurt to watch you guys grow up and the fact I couldn't save Tsunami that day too. I've always stared at an open entrance, knowing I could do something, but the fact I couldn't do anything is holding me down. That's been my entire life, Wildfire, she whispered, hoping she could send her thoughts to the she-cat. Knowing something big was happening and you couldn't join. My sweet little sister, that's my entire life.

     "Blizzard?"

     Both cats perked their head up at the entering tom, body weighed down by exhaustion. Firestorm came through and landed on his nest, sinking his face into the soft grass, letting out a long sigh. The tom groaned, staying where he was while his two sisters watched him, unable to say a thing. Eventually, he looked back at them, dark circles resting below his eyes. Blizzard slowly blinked, coming closer to her older brother.

     Instead, he pushed her away softly, ignoring her help.

     "Any sign?" she whispered, already knowing the answer.

     "No," he responded, voice raspy. "I haven't found a single thing. There hasn't been a single scent of her, Lightning, Snow, or Wasp out there. Not even Lizard and Scarlet can pick anything up. They're just like me." Firestorm closed his eyes and slumped back into the nest. Blizzard stepped forward, avoiding his push and examined the scratches along his pelt.

     Wildfire climbed over and nuzzled her brother gently, letting out a small chirp. He relaxed, a smile snaking around the two. Blizzard pressed a paw along one scar, trailing it all the way down to his shoulder, flinching at the depth. She eyed him and her brother flattened his ears, already knowing the lecture that followed.

     "It's nothing, honest," he protested. "Lizard and Scarlet are trying to sharpen their skills as well. I have to help them the best I can and fight. Scars and scratches like this are nothing." He was proven wrong when Wildfire set her paw on a wound snaking around his paw, and the orange tom flinched, holding back a small hiss. The golden she-cat looked sadly at him, wishing she could be more helpful.

     Blizzard frowned and went to a nearby corner of the den, reaching her paw out to snatch the faint, wispy cobwebs that clung to the top. She retreated, noticing a black spider scamper across its ruined home, frantically trying to fix its work. The cat nodded, whispering her thanks, and carried the sticky glands over, dropping the entire bunch on Firestorm's shoulder. Wildfire nosed her way through and began to spread them across each wound, sniffing each with careful inspection.

     The two older siblings exchanged a glance of pride as their youngest worked her hardest to fix up the wounds. Wildfire padded over to her nest and pulled out a small leaf, setting it on one of the gaping scars dotting Firestorm's side. She used the leaf to keep the cobwebs in place, keeping her tiny paw on the bundle until it stuck. Then she pulled back and looked at both of them, noticing their staring.

     "The wounds aren't fatal," she promised. "As long as he doesn't strain himself to much." Wildfire went back to the leaves and switched them out, applying another leaf on the open wound. Firestorm never jerked or flinched, keeping himself tall. 

     "And with Firestorm, he's always going to push himself," joked Blizzard, sticking her tongue out at the tom.

     She gave them a warm smile, propping herself next to Firestorm, staring at Blizzard with a wide grin in her eyes, the small grudge washed away. They were stopped when an angry shout exploded in the middle of the camp, causing Wildfire to jump out of her fur and dive behind her older brother, covering her head with her paws, stilling her body in a matter of seconds. The silver she-cat turned and snapped her teeth on her tongue to keep quiet as Poplar was thrown across the camp, Viper standing over her friend with a gloat.

     The feisty she-cat pushed herself to her feet, facing her superior with a face that only reflected bravery and undaunting courage, revealing no signs of inferiority or rage. Blizzard couldn't have been prouder at her friend for standing up, but Viper let out a snarl, causing her lips to curl back into a threatening snarl. Poplar didn't flinch and braced herself for the incoming attack. Claws scored across her face, blood flying out of the she-cat's flesh.

     Firestorm let out a growl and fought Wildfire, throwing his sister aside, standing on shaking legs. Before Blizzard could stop him, he shoved her over the golden cat, protecting their little sister from Viper's menacing glare. Poplar looked up and after realizing who was coming, lowered her head, and strained herself to stand up as well, even with a wound above her eye. The two friends locked eyes and the ginger she-cat gave her a reassuring look, but the wound on her head drew the attention away from the false grin.

     Blizzard struggled to get up and Poplar gave her a glare, eyes landing on the lump of fur sticking under her. She stopped and glanced at Wildfire, whose eyes were wide, fearfully staring at the back wall, waiting for the danger to fly over her head. The two she-cats didn't say anything, and Firestorm stood up to Viper, shielding the she-cat from another attack.

     "Viper, what is the meaning of this?" Firestorm demanded, flicking his tail to Poplar. "Can't you see she's already beaten enough? Don't you think harming her more is going to make things worse for her?"

     "Firestorm, back off," Poplar spat, driving her gaze away from Blizzard. "I can deal with things on my own. I don't need someone stepping up to fight for me. If anything, I want to take my own rage out at him." The she-cat got up, standing next to the orange tom, fur rising and lips peeling back. Thorn-like claws sunk into the dirt, energy pumping through her weakened body. Viper looked amused and shook his head, letting out disappointing mocks.

     "Firestorm, you don't understand," he explained. "This she-cat was found stealing twice as much prey than her normal sharing. Prey isn't unlimited, as you know. A punishment that she'll remember will make her act right again."

     "Oh, cut the lies!" Poplar fired back, practically lunging at the gray tom. Her tail lashed like an angry snake, venom leaking out of her mouth as she cursed. "You know just as I do that you and Python are the only ones who are eating well around here! It's a miracle a single cat here hasn't dropped dead because of starvation! And mind you, I only stole the extra prey because of Blizzard! She's starving and still working for you! And she's the daughter of your leader, for Endless Stars sake!"

     Poplar, you know just as I do that just because I'm his daughter doesn't mean I get special privileges. Blizzard thought, holding back her tongue. Maybe being his daughter is a curse rather than something good. You've never known your parents where both of mine neglected me. Stop trying to defend me when you just told him you don't need anyone fighting your battles. I'm not a kit anymore.

     "Is... is Poplar going to be okay?" whimpered Wildfire, holding back a sob. "I don't want your friend to suffer because of you."

     "She's not going to be punished," Blizzard promised, wrapping her sister in false lies and rumors to relive happy feelings. She wrapped another web around Wildfire, this time covering her beautiful, green eyes that saw everything. Another thing she had done to her innocent sister, tying her up in lies to prevent the little sun to shatter into an endless night, the icy wind ripping her fur each way constantly. Outside, Poplar let out a yowl at another lash and Firestorm snarled. The little she-cat under her shifted and she covered her ears, whispering more sweet nothings.

     When can I get the chance to kill him, already? The moment he comes up dead means I die. I can't die yet because of Wildfire and Firestorm. There's no way to end his miserable life and get out alive, and I'm sorry my dearest Tsunami, but I cannot see you just yet. Blizzard enveloped Wildfire under her, blocking her sight and ears out with her silver pelt.

     "Don't you know this already, Poplar?" Viper hissed, looming over her, ignoring Firestorm's readying attacks. "If Python or I die, the entire tribe will fall."

     "No, it won't!" she snapped, biting the tom in the ear, hard. Viper let out a screech and yanked his head up, but the she-cat kept her grip firm. Poplar was carried into the air and thrown onto the ground, but to Blizzard's sheer delight and horror, there was a chunk of blood flowing out of the gray tom's ear, and a patch of flesh tightly locked in her friend's jaws. Spitting it out, the cream cat began to cough, wheezing for some kind of breath as Firestorm hesitated, staring at the open wound.

     "That felt good!" Poplar announced after catching her breath, whirling around on her feet, and gave Firestorm a smirk of confidence. Viper let out a snarl and threw himself on the she-cat from the back, smashing both of them onto the ground. Whirling and snarling, the she-cat let out a horrid snarl and growl when the retainer locked his jaws around one of her ears, growling something to her.

     Blizzard looked away and pressed her ears to her skull, hoping to never hear her best friend let out that blood-curdling scream ever again. Firestorm said something, but she couldn't hear anything anymore. Wildfire was trembling, knowing something was going on. The two sisters stayed where they were, pretending to block out the present.

     Then she turned around and saw Poplar on her side, a paw over her ear. Viper stood over the she-cat triumphantly, scowling at her and Firestorm. The gray tom stomped over her, causing growls and hisses to erupt from her like a volcano. Blizzard threw herself out of the den, exposing Wildfire, who was well-hidden in the corner of the den and skidded to a halt next to her friend, standing protectively in front of her father's retainer.

     "Now it's time you show yourself," he muttered, not giving her a chance to speak. "Be glad I didn't rip it off as she did to mine." Viper glared at the chunk of his missing ear on the ground and stormed away, slipping into the den the retainers shared. Poplar sank to the ground, removing her bloody paw from her ear, which was half-torn. Firestorm raced over and nudged the she-cat on her feet, checking the wound.

     "Why did you do that?!" he demanded, getting in her face. "You knew he would only attack you back!"

     "Because I wasn't going to let someone like him control me. That's just nonsense," she replied. "Wounds and battles fade away, but glory lasts forever." Poplar spat out the remaining chunk of hair out of her mouth. "If he was going to kill me, I'm going to the grave saying I was the one who tore off a chunk of his ear."

     "You stubborn cat," Blizzard muttered, shaking her head. "You never fail to impress me, you know?"

     "Obviously! I'm working twice as hard now that Midnight's not here. I gotta work harder," Poplar explained. "It doesn't matter if I end up like this. If it means each time Viper or Python attack me and I'll get to attack back, I'll do it a million times over!" She puffed her chest out proudly and Firestorm shook his head in disgust.

     Other cats came out of hiding and scampered over to Poplar, treating her like some kind of hero. Blizzard and Firestorm slipped away, letting the she-cat suck up as much attention as she could, letting herself bask in praise. Wildfire perked her head up hearing her siblings approach. The moment they stepped in and blocked her tiny body out, she sprang to her paws and checked them over for new wounds, worry flooding through her eyes.

     "Don't scare me like that! Please!" she demanded, lashing her tail, eyes watering. "I want to see Lightning and Hurricane again and not lose any of you!"

     Tsunami.

     "Listen to me! Let me be the one who leaves! I can find her myself, somehow! I'll find both of them on my own so you two don't have to worry! And once I do find them, I'll come back to you and tell you what's going on, trust me!"

     Tsunami, what has our family become?