Skypaw stood still, dumbfounded. Her eyes kept switching between Darkface's smug expression and Willowleaf's burning eyes. What had just happened?

Skypaw thought she was just going to visit with Hazelflower. She was prepared for Clan updates, jokes, and friendly gossip, not a ruthless ambush!

It became clear to her that Willowleaf had pulled her from her training just so she could yell at her. Upon glancing at the nest that Hazelflower had been resting in, Skypaw noticed the black she-cat wasn't even there. She must be out exercising her shoulder.

Staring back at Darkface, she realized that the Dark Forest warrior had told on her. He had obviously told Willowleaf all about their meeting, and she now knew that Skypaw hadn't listened to her.

Great, She thought to herself. This is the last thing I need.

"Well?" Willowleaf snapped, "Are you going to say something?"

"I, um," Skypaw stuttered. She was about to muster a rather pathetic response when Willowleaf continued to speak.

"Skypaw, I explicitly told you not to go meet Darkface," Willowleaf's tone was an interesting one. It was undoubtably overwhelmingly anger, but there was something else. Skypaw realized that there was pain weaved within her words. Willowleaf was no longer just frustrated that Skypaw couldn't just listen to her. She was hurt that she, once again, failed to take her requests seriously. "This isn't any of your business! Darkface's past is-"

"This isn't about Darkface's past!" Skypaw exclaimed. Guilt pricked at her paws when she noticed that Willowleaf was pained at the expense of Skypaw's meeting with Darkface. However, this guilt quickly subsided when Willowleaf made it clear that Skypaw didn't just not listen to her, but that Willowleaf didn't listen to Skypaw either. Skypaw had tried to tell her that Darkface had valuable information regarding the prophecy, and Willowleaf didn't want to accept that. What was Skypaw supposed to do? 

Once again, Skypaw was hit with an isolating feeling. Her desire to speak with Littlepaw nagged at her persistently. Willowleaf just proved to Skypaw that she didn't understand what it was like to be the center of a prophecy. Willowleaf didn't understand that sometimes it was necessary to push the past to the side if it means gaining something that will help the prophecy unfold to their advantage.

"Everything is about his past!" Willowleaf retorted. Skypaw noticed that Darkface flinched at Willowleaf's harsh and dismissive tone. Willowleaf wasn't the only one feeling hurt. Darkface was once again feeling the rejection of his beloved sister.

"Did you not tell her what you said to me?" Skypaw asked the ghostly warrior, pleadingly. She knew that Willowleaf would never believe anything she told her if Darkface didn't confirm that the information she was given was true. She thinks I'm just some naive apprentice! Skypaw hissed to herself. Why am I not worthy of believing?

"I tried to, but she wouldn't listen after I told her you had met me," Darkface meowed, sympathetically. "Willowleaf, I didn't want to tell only her. I wanted to tell you, but you didn't show up to meet me."

Willowleaf whipped around to face Darkface. Her tail lashed. She stared at her littermate, anger ablaze in her eyes. "Why can't you just let me go?" She wailed. "I don't want anything to do with you, or any of your apologies!"

Darkface stared in silence for a few moments. Skypaw knew that Willowleaf's words had felt like stabbing claws to him. After what seemed like an eternity, he meowed, "I'm trying to help you, Willowleaf. I'm trying to help the Clans."

"And why would you ever do that?" Willowleaf hissed. "You killed our mother. You just finally realized how bad the Dark Forest is and just want to leave!"

"Are you even going to ask for the information he told me?" Skypaw meowed, accusingly. Willowleaf was only thinking about herself, and not about the vital information that Skypaw knew would change her entire outlook on the prophecy, and perhaps even her littermate. "If you don't want to believe it, then fine," Skypaw stammered. She didn't truly mean that. She knew it was essential for Willowleaf to believe the information Darkface told her, but for right now, her primary goal was to just get Willowleaf to listen. "But at least listen to what it is!"

Willowleaf's head swerved back in Skypaw's direction. Skypaw tried to hold the intimidating medicine cat's gaze, but she wavered and ended up staring at her paws. She knew Willowleaf had authority in the Clan, being ThunderClan's only medicine cat and their only outlet to StarClan, but the ferocity found within those amber eyes was intense. Skypaw couldn't help but wonder why Willowleaf didn't just become a warrior. Any cat facing that glare in battle would be sent running into the trees before Willowleaf could even lay a claw on them.

Willowleaf let out a defeated sigh. It appeared that Skypaw's words had hit her, and that the gravity of the situation was understood. She nodded. "Fine," She declared, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws expectantly. 

Darkface and Skypaw stared at each other, wondering who should tell the ferocious medicine cat. Finally, figuring Willowleaf would be more dismissive of Darkface, Skypaw switched her gaze to Willowleaf and began filling her in.

"Well," Skypaw began. "This goes beyond ThunderClan's borders. It-"

"I know that," Willowleaf snapped, matter-of-factly. Skypaw realized that since the other Clans' medicine cats knew about her prophecy, that Willowleaf must know about all of the other chosen cats. Once again, her mind wandered briefly to Littlepaw's small stature, but she snapped back into focus.

"But what you don't know, is that the Dark Forest is involved." Darkface meowed, taking over. Upon glancing at the tortoiseshell she-cat, Skypaw could tell based on her wide eyes that her blood had turned to ice upon those words. The expression quickly slipped off of her face, and Willowleaf returned to her high-and-mighty attitude. Skypaw was irritated at the medicine cat's pride, but she had to focus on the conversation at hand. "They have outlets in all of the Clans, and are planning to take over. Sunstar is ThunderClan's outlet."

"Sunstar has been visiting the Dark Forest?" Willowleaf inquired. Her tail lashed once, but then returned to its place wrapped around her paws.

"Yes," Darkface confirmed, his eyes bright now that Willowleaf was listening to him. "He's involved in the plot to take over all of StarClan."

"A-all of StarClan?" Willowleaf exclaimed, on her paws. "They can't do that! There's no possible way-"

"It's happening, Willowleaf," Darkface meowed softly. "That's why I needed you to meet me. We need to warn StarClan so they can prepare for the fight that is coming."

Willowleaf's wide amber eyes stared blankly at Darkface's identical ones. Skypaw's gaze switched between them.

Suddenly, it all became more real. Seeing the fear and the horror in Willowleaf's eyes made the reality of the situation sink in. Skypaw realized for seemingly the first time that the prophecy that surrounded her life was not just about her. The most wicked warriors that the Clans had ever seen were gearing up to take down everything that the Warrior Code stood for. 

We're all in danger.

Hope you all enjoyed! 

6/21/19: Sorry for the short and relatively uneventful chapter. I promise that things are going to start picking up soon! I believe all of the chapters after this one are nearly double in length. I've written through Chapter 24 so far and believe me when I say things are going to get more interesting! Please bear with me as I get the story to that point through chapters like these. I may release a bonus chapter tomorrow, for a reason you'll understand if I choose to...stay tuned! Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to vote and drop a comment if you'd like! It truly helps so much!