Clumps of wet flakes drifted mindlessly down. Breath pale against the numbing air, she blinked dismally as the frost patiently kissed her face, hindered by the soft, dusty illusions of light that sat heavy on her eyelashes. It was gentle and lush, a powdery substance that made her skin feel raw in the bitter air.

Hawkfire blew a gust of breath and watched it snake upwards, coiling around the snowflakes. The sorrowful silence in the camp was thick as if it were a sodden blanket. Cedarbelly's stiff body was lying in the center of the stone hollow, snow sticking to his neatly washed pelt. The elders had helped Duckfeather and Fuzzypaw prepare him very carefully, their movements delicate as they cleaned their old friend. Now he looked fresh and revived nearly, his light brown glistening and speckled with white. Though his cleanliness could not fool any cat with a brain, he was still dead.

Hightail was the first to go over and say his final goodbye. His eyes were clouded with grief as he laid his snout on Cedarbelly's head. He murmured something and stepped back to let the next cat go. As cats went up one by one, Hawkfire felt fur brush against her. She looked up to see Duckfeather standing next to her.

"Would you like to say goodbye as well?" he whispered. She paused, and finally gave a timid nod. He led her to the elder's body as she stumbled to his side. Hawkfire respectfully pressed her nose into his cold fur, letting the sweet tang of the herbs wrap around her. An immediate pang of regret and guilt struck her as she was reminded of her mother. She had never done this for her, she had never said goodbye to Sorrelbreeze. Hawkfire got up and retreated back to the medicine cat's den hurriedly, wanting to escape the perfume of death threatening to suffocate her. She screwed her eyes shut, I'm sorry, mother.

Hawkfire watched as all her Clanmates that were lined up share-tongues one last time, until Robinpelt was the last one to go. Everyone held their breath as Duckfeather aided him in walking over to Cedarbelly. Robinpelt hobbled slowly, and finally crumpled down beside his former denmate.

She heard him rasp, "I'm sorry, my dear friend, that you suffered so long from that illness. May StarClan be good to you and let no more pain or harm reach you." He buried his nose into his friend's fur and let a tear trickle down his face. Was it because he was that sad over the loss of Cedarbelly, or just since the temperature was freezing that a tear escaped him, Hawkfire wasn't sure. It was rather hard to imagine the dark ginger tom having a heart that let other cats in, but she wasn't going to question it.

At last, Robinpelt, Hightail, Morningstar and Brighteyes curled up by Cedarbelly's body to sleep by his side for the rest of the night. Robinpelt's one ear was laid flat against him broad head as he snuggled by Cedarbelly for one last time. She felt sad for the old cat, understanding his grief.

Then, out of nowhere, Fuzzypaw sat beside Hawkfire who gave her a brief glance before turning back to the Clan.

The medicine cat apprentice whispered softly in an anguished mew. "Cedarbelly is in a better place now, and is probably watching over us now as the young, noble warrior he once was." She lifted her head to the darkened sky, "he was certainly a respectable cat who died peacefully. He is a wonderful role model for all of us, and we should all try to be more like him."

Hawkfire sighed and growled, "that's great, but I don't want to be like him."

"Why not?" Fuzzypaw tilted her head.

"Cedarbelly was a fine cat, but so what? He was born a kit raised by loving parents before becoming an apprentice. He did duties to help the Clan and was taught all the lessons he needed to know to become a warrior. He earned his new title and blended in with all the other warriors; fighting, patrolling, hunting and just living the same, simple life in ThunderClan. Tell me, is that all to our existence? Just following the same exact routine hundreds of cats before us did? I refuse to accept that, I want something more! I'll do something special so everyone remembers me, that I didn't just follow the path set before me but viewed a broader horizon!" Hawkfire was panting now, fury and ambition glowing in her forest green eyes.

Fuzzypaw shook her head slowly and gazed at the stars. "But what will they remember you for?" she whispered. She turned her stare to Hawkfire who froze, then snarled and went inside the cave. She flopped down on her nest while thinking angrily about her previous conversation with the apprentice. They'll remember me as a powerful, leader who saved the Clans by doing the impossible. That's what they will remember me for, Dazedpaw! She rested her head on the edge of the moss nest and after a little while, fell asleep.

Hawkfire instantly awoke in StarClan, but she could tell right away it wasn't going to be a normal night of training. Circling around her were Thistleclaw, Mudfang, Nettleclaw, Hollypine, Rainclaw and Redwillow. Their pelts were dark beneath the trees, their silent eyes glowing dimly as they continued to stare at her, their expressions unreadable.

"What's going on here?" she demanded but the only response was their mute glares. Her pelt prickled with unease as they parted in one motion, eerily in unison and another cat stalked out of the defiled, twisted trunks. Hawkfire immediately recognized the mangy, red pelt and sucked in a deep breath - Berrypelt.

The deceased ShadowClan warrior hovered over her, a smirk plastered to his lips as she asked in a small voice, "W-what are y-you doing in StarClan?" How come Berrypelt is here, this doesn't make any sense. He murdered my family and even tried to kill me, so shouldn't he reside in the Dark Forest? What is going on?

Berrypelt sneered at her and meowed as if reading her thoughts, "you're as gullible as ever, aren't you, Hawkfire? This is my home, the place where I truly belong." She gulped as he slitted his eyes and continued. "This is where you belong too, the Place of No Stars." He swept his tail around them to gesture the gloomy forest.

Hawkfire straightened up to her full height and mewed with authority, "that isn't possible. Thistleclaw has been training me to unite the four Clans."

"Well, that is true," Berrypelt agreed. "But he himself is a Dark Forest spirit trying to shape you into one of us. You should be thankful for that."

Hawkfire gaped and turned to her mentor. "Is that true?" she whispered, praying to StarClan that he would deny it, but he only gave a very small, seldom nod. No! This can't be! She felt her fur bristle, furious that he lied to her and that she actually trusted him.

Thistleclaw stepped forward and meowed calmly, "Oh sweet little one, you are so innocent aren't you? It isn't my fault that you believed the lies I fed you, besides, it's all in your favor. I told you didn't I? Everything I do is in your best interest, like disposing of your weak parents for one."

Hawkfire gasped, "b-but Berrypelt was the one who killed them. I saw him murder Fallengaze in front of my own eyes and even found his fur snagged in Sorrelbreeze's claws!"

Thistleclaw purred, a malicious grin creeping up on his face. "But why do you think he did so? He didn't target Fallengaze and Sorrelbreeze just for fun, there was a motive, and I was it." Thistleclaw took another menacing step forward. "I ordered him to kill your parents since I couldn't do so myself, that way you wouldn't have any weak influences to make your intent waver. In exchange, I promised that he would have a spot here just for him, among all the truly strong warriors to train and grow better."

Hawkfire's mind swam with confusion and betrayal. "How could you?" she finally managed to choke out.

Her former mentor chuckled, "come now, little one. Join us once and for all and I promise that all the power you desire will come to you." She began to back up in fright, wishing to run far away from that evil place, but Berrypelt blocked her path.

The mangy, reddish tom growled, "it's too late to turn back now. If you want to leave, you'll have to defeat me again. But I'm warning you, I'm not the same cat I once was."

Hawkfire took a shaky breath and replied, "I'm not either." The two cats suddenly attacked each other, throwing vicious blows. Berrypelt scratched her forehead with his outstretched claws but she pushed back. Blood pounded in Hawkfire's ears and the red sticky substance dripped over her nose from the cut on her forehead, however she did not loosen her grasp on her opponent. If she lost even the slightest bit of grip, it would be the end of her. The two cats were caught in a deadly game of tug-of-war, each trying to gain the upper hand over the other as they struggled, bit, clawed and snarled at each other. Just as she raised her claws to swipe at Berrypelt's throat, he sprang away from her, having used that fraction of a second that she had let go to his advantage. Hawkfire stumbled, her open claws tearing the dirt while she stared at the tom, panting through clenched teeth as the two once again began to circle each other, waiting for the other one to make the slightest movement in their direction.

Hawkfire was enraged at everything happening all at once and she felt her mind ache as the odd voice entered her brain again, but this time, she allowed it to consume her as she was too focused on the battle at hand to bother with it. Red tainted her vision's edge and she could feel her conscious slipping away as the new being took her place. Berrypelt swatted at her ears but she twisted in time to bite his front paw before receiving a slash across her cheek. Hawkfire smiled cruelly and lunged forward, sliding beneath Berrypelt's exposed belly skin and sliced it with her claws, then jumped back. He shrieked with fury and crushed her under his heavy paws, biting down on her neck hard. She nipped his ear in an attempt to rid him of her, but he stayed put. Blood was blinding her vision as she helplessly flailed and screeched, until finally, she threw him off with one massive shove. Berrypelt tumbled backwards into the trees as Hawkfire shakily stood back up.

"You're dead," she hissed with her ears flattened against her skull. Hawkfire pounced on top of him and dug her talons deep into his flesh. He immediately tried to forcefully kick her off with his hind legs, but she held on tight and ripped his flank with her back claws. She grinned as his cuts oozed with blood, the thick substance running down his side. Berrypelt's eyes formed an angry glare as Hawkfire towered over him with triumph flaring in her cold eyes.

"It's all over," she crooned. Berrypelt's eyes stretched with wide with fear as she pressed her claws to his throat. "I'll make you suffer like I did," she whispered in his ear and pushed down harder, his choking gasp filling her with pleasure. After several more heartbeats, Hawkfire grew bored and bore her claws all the way into his throat, his trachea catching on them. The horror that struck in his eyes earlier began to fade as the life left his maimed body, blood pooling from his deep wound. Hawkfire watched in delight as his spirit started to evaporate, and pricked her ears while waiting patiently until his yellow eyes remained glassy and lifeless.

When there was nothing left of Berrypelt, she could hear Thistleclaw's voice drift around her. "The curse is complete. Welcome, Hawkfire, the chosen one."

Hawkfire jolted awake, safely back in her own nest panting heavily for breath, and cringed at the sight of her battered pelt. She hurriedly tried to fix it before anyone saw her, but Fuzzypaw trotted in at that moment to see what was the matter. The black-and-white she-cat gasped, shocked at the sight, her jaw hanging loosely. Hawkfire was at a loss of words to explain it, but Fuzzypaw just left and fetched herbs. The apprentice began to clean her quietly and lap herbs into her wounds. Hawkfire winced at the pain but held still. Fuzzypaw continued to press the herbs more firmly into her injury, the affliction jerking her into wakefulness.

When Fuzzypaw had finished, she stood up abruptly and stared at Hawkfire with remorseful eyes. "I know what you're doing. You must be careful and let StarClan guide your paws to the right path." With that, Fuzzypaw left her alone once more. It's too late for that, Hawkfire thought to herself reluctantly.