*Disclaimer: Due to the large absence of updates since Chapter 1, I recommend you to reread it to refresh your memory of Skypaw's latest adventures. I also edited some of it and added a few paragraphs, so it would be your best interest to reread!*

What seemed like only moments after she had drifted into a much needed sleep, Skypaw found her paws touching nothing other than snow. Her eyes drifted open as she gazed around at her surroundings, finding herself no where but the ThunderClan forest. Her eyes rested on the Sky Oak as the memory of plummeting from its branches as an apprentice crossed her mind. Although her territory surrounded her, she knew immediately that she had been pulled into a dream.

Normally she would have sat there, dazed and confused, wondering if where she was was reality, but Skypaw had figured that where she was right at that moment was anything but reality. Despite being pulled from her peaceful rest and finding herself in the heart of her territory, she realized that she could not hear the breeze of leaf-bare whisking through leaves of the trees, and she could not feel its cool chill that it would bring with it. She didn't feel the stinging in her paws that the snow would have caused beneath them. ThunderClan's forest had a special calm to it that didn't come during leaf-bare.

Although the atmosphere surrounding her was calm and the terrain showed no threat or worry within its clutches, she could not help but feel confused. Why was she here? Who brought her? Why?

Just as she was about to start trekking through the territory in a search to end her confusion, a voice reached her ears. As soon as it reached her, she spun around, snow flying up behind her due to her quick movements.

"You need to be prepared."

The source of the voice came from no other than Sandstar. At first, Skypaw felt a rush of joy to see the old cat once again, but once she comprehended her grandmother's words she froze, her eyes wide.

"You need to be prepared, Skypaw." Sandstar meowed once again, her green eyes staring into Skypaw's blue ones. The apprentice immediately detected the seriousness and the urgency hidden within Sandstar's seemingly calm voice.

Skypaw was about to reply when she began to take in the appearance of the former ThunderClan leader. Her pelt, normally bright and translucent with the pattern of the stars within it, looked duller. The stars were still there, not a doubt, but Skypaw couldn't help but detect that she she-cat was getting tired out. This can only signal one thing, the apprentice thought, StarClan must be growing weary.

"P-prepared?" Skypaw stuttered over her words, trying to pull herself from her thoughts and concentrate on why her grandmother stood before her. Shaking her head briefly, she looked over at Sandstar expectantly. 

"Yes, prepared." The sandy she-cat responded without hesitation. "You are aware of the prophecy. You are aware of the alliance between Dapplestar and Sunstar. You are aware of the grudge and resent ShadowClan has towards ThunderClan, Skypaw. Why wouldn't you be prepared?"

Skypaw stood there, once again finding herself getting lost in thought. She wasn't sure about what to reply to the leader. She was aware of all of those things, of course, but she had done her absolute best to try to forget. She had forgotten her important role in the future of her Clan. Trying to get words to roll off her tongue to hide her, what she figured was, irresponsibility, she thought quickly.

"Dapplestar is still a problem?" Immediately after she spoke, she wanted to ram her head into a tree. Of course Dapplestar is still a problem, mousebrain! As if the Dark Forest didn't exist!

Skypaw's ears felt hot as she saw how dumbfounded her grandmother looked. Sandstar looked at her as if she thought she had to be joking, and Skypaw took the opportunity. "I-I mean, of course she's still a problem, but is she an immediate threat?"

Sandstar, looking more at ease, nodded. "Dapplestar will stop at nothing, Skypaw, nothing to get what she wants. Not even death can stop her. Not even death could part her from her dying wish. Not to mention, Sunstar is just the perfect outlet she needs to get forces rising within the Clans to destroy everything they stand for." 

"I knew this battle wasn't ready to be put to rest!" Skypaw exclaimed. "ThunderClan has stopped talking about it. They've let it go, especially since there's nothing unusual about the ShadowClan border. It's only been half a moon, and all they talk about is how it will someday be passed down in nursery tales!"

"Nothing about this is ready to be put to rest, period," Sandstar meowed, nodding her head in agreement. "If anything, it needs to be talked about. Defense is key here. I can only imagine what kind of battle Dapplestar is planning with the Dark Forest, and you can bet your tail that Sunstar is in on it. He was the last battle, he will be the next."

Skypaw, even after all the moons she's known about Sunstar's hidden betrayal and all the secrets that are buried underneath his pelt, couldn't believe that he would want ThunderClan to die. She just couldn't believe that a cat would work so hard to become leader, be one of the most respected cats in the Clans, only to spit on everything the Clans have. How could a cat with countless blessings be the same cat that wishes to destroy them all?

"Skypaw, listen," The former ThunderClan leader's voice was soft and calm, catching the young apprentice off guard. The conversation was just starting to rise in intensity only to come crashing down into a calm chat. She cocked her head and nodded, encouraging the the starry cat to continue to speak her thoughts. "I know how hard it is for you to be the chosen cat sometimes," Sandstar's eyes were green pools of sympathy. "but you need to make sure you keep your eyes open, keep your tail held high. StarClan needs you to stop trying to forget who you are and what role you play in the future of your Clan, and instead we need you to strive to remember. You're the sky in the prophecy. Remember, you are the sky that will fall on the sun to save ThunderClan, and there's no way around that."

The young she-cat's vision began to blur as the ground beneath her paws started to swirl. The StarClan cat that stood before her began to fade as her parting words echoed within Skypaw's mind. A pang of guilt seized her as she realized how badly StarClan needed her to focus. She had tried too hard to forget the battle with ShadowClan that sent the ShadowClan leader up in flames. She had wished too hard to be like the rest of her Clan, like her littermates, just to move on with life. She had wanted too hard to disconnect herself from her part of the prophecy, as the words that she had received still confused her as she could not comprehend the meaning behind them. She knew that she was the sky that would fall on the sun, she most definitely knew. Although knowing that was the easy part, the part that she struggled with the most was to...

Never forget.

Author's Note: GUYS I TOLD YOU I WOULD UPDATE AGAIN! I know it's been forever and I am completely aware of the fact that this most definitely is not my best work (it sucks pretty bad, to be honest) but I knew that I needed to get this show on the road again. I don't want to make this note too long because I honestly want to get back to writing, but I want to thank you for everyone who stuck with me during this large leave of absence (over a year!) and continued to encourage me to finish this story. I have come a long way as an author since I started this story in seventh grade, and although I do want to be working on something original I owe it to each and every one of you to give the rest of this plot (besides this chapter because once again, it sucks) my all!

You are completely unaware of all the appreciation I have towards all my readers, from the ones who followed me in June 2014 all the way to the ones who followed me yesterday. I can assure you that although updates may not be consistent, there definitely won't be another one year gap between chapters. That was really ridiculous and I honestly can't believe I just fell off the face of the Earth for that long. 

Anyway, although this chapter wasn't very long or very exciting, please remember that this is only the beginning of the book and I need some type of filler chapters to really get the story going. And, as I bet you all know, I really do enjoy plot twists and cliffhangers, so expect to see some of those very soon. It's Friday, so that means I will try to have Chapter 3 out before school resumes on Monday. First semester just ended for me last week and thanks to everyone who messaged me privately wishing me good luck on my exams!

As always, please comment constructive criticism (nicely please, I don't need to be told how bad my work is and instead need to be told how to improve) and predictions of what is to come!

Special thanks to Elaina (@_Elaina_) for helping me brainstorm and giving me some nice words of motivation and encouragement. Give her a follow!

Thanks again, guys! 

-Kaylin

(P.S., I briefly skimmed over this so the proof reading isn't very thorough. If you see a typo please let me know so I can quickly fix it to make the reading experience better for everybody).