A light brown tabby tom, Greeneyes, and Clawstar were whispering softly along each other in the corner of the den. Sarah's words rang in his ears 'You will have to wade through blood to win this war.' But what does that mean? There wasn't a war going on. Was there? Soot couldn't hear what the three were talking about, but he thought about how Starclan could visit anybody. So he spoke up.

"Did you hear it too?" Three pairs of eyes turned to him. Clawstar faced the tabby, "Oatwhisker, go tell Splashfoot to send out a hunting patrol, will you?" Oatwhisker didn't reply, but got up to leave. Greeneyes narrowed his eyes at the black kitten, a cat whom no one knew the name of.

"Heard what?"

Clawstar folded his paws under him and waited for an answer.

"The starry cat. She said 'You will have to wade through blood to win this war.' Did my ma visit you too?"

Clawstar furrowed his eyebrows. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name is Soot. My mother visited me in a dream and said that to me. You heard it too didn't you?"

At that moment, Oatwhisker trotted back into the den and settled down next between Clawstar and Greeneyes. Clawstar murmured something in his ear and he nodded towards the young kit. It was as if all three of them were eyeing him down. He felt small under their gazes, bit refused to let them see it. He puffed out his chest, and stood eye to eye with them. Finally, Oatwhisker pressed his muzzle to his shoulder, signaling respect. Soot was proud of himself for standing up to them, but didn't want to stay and chat. He walked out of the den and over to the pile of fresh prey. He dragged out a squirrel and pulled it behind him to a jutting rock near a wall of vines.

A black tom, not as big as the leader, but bigger than him padded over and asked to share his meal. He gladly accepted, mostly because he couldn't finish it himself and didn't want to waste anything.

"My name is Nightpaw. What's yours?" The young cat inquired, biting into a piece of meat.

Soot swallowed the bite in his mouth before answering. "Soot."

"Sootkit?"

"No. Just Soot. My father named me that because of my pelt."

"Mine too."

The two toms finished the squirrel, and began grooming themselves. Soot stepped over to the clan leader and asked to talk to him. Clawstar obliged and led him into his den, a large hole in the ground, carved from water. He sat opposite of the leader.

Soot started the conversation. "I think I want to go home. Can you have Berryheart take me back?"

"You think?" Clawstar pondered.

Soot sighed. "No. I know. My family will be worried about me. I am grateful for your hospitality, but I must be getting home. Please let me go," He pleaded.

Clawstar smiled a bit. "You are not a prisoner here Soot. We cannot allow you to leave, but I can send a patrol to retrieve your kin from the woods."

Before Soot could protest, Clawstar was out of earshot. Angered, Soot stormed out of the den and stomped back to the den he was staying in. There was another cat in his bed, a spotted cat whose name was Cheetahclaw. Greeneyes was feeding her some gross smelling herbs. Apparently Cheetahclaw thought the same thing. With no more nests for him, Oatwhisker led the tiny black cat to the nursery, where Applefur and her two kits were sleeping. There was an empty nest in there, I'm which he gladly fell asleep. He had no dreams that night, only darkness.

He felt as though there was someone watching him, and tried opening his eyes in his head, but was only greeted by black. Cold and dark blackness. Like the whole of Starclan had just burnt out. Just nothingness.