Rainpaw opened her eyes. She yowled," Vixenpaw, no!" and then passed out again. She woke up to find  Firestripe standing over her, a flicker of worry in his eyes.

"It's alright, Rainpaw. Your in Snowclan now." Firestripe meowed. "But where is Vixenpaw?" Rainpaw wailed. She tried to get up, but the gash in her neck stung, and she collapsed on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Rainpaw. But Vixenpaw is dead." Firestripe choked. "It's all my fault!" Rainpaw wailed, scrabbling in her den. "No! It's not, really, Rainpaw!" Firestripe soothed. He then asked Swiftpaw something, then raced out of camp.

"Here, chew these poppy seeds." Swiftpaw meowed. Rainpaw obeyed, then fell into a deep sleep.

Rainpaw woke up, smelling the poultices on her wounds. She then limped out of the medicine den.

Her eyes widened in horror as she spotted Vixenpaw's mauled body in the center of camp. She limped quickly over to her, feeling hot tears trickle down her face. Thank you for saving me., she thought. She pushed her muzzle into Vixenpaw's fur, and did not look up for a long time.
******

The next day, rainpaw was excused from the medicine den, provided that she came back for a fresh poultice every evening. Why did Fawnpaw lie about Frostwing? Rainpaw pondered. Finally she understood. Frostwing would never ask an apprentice to meet him at blazing-rocks. She tried to get rid of me! Rainpaw thought. No one will believe me, so I might as well keep my mouth shut.

Tonight was the gathering. Crowstar signaled his clan to follow him. Rainpaw glanced at her brother, noticing grief in his eyes. He loved Vixenpaw, she guessed.

Rainpaw sat next to Beechpaw, feeling his warm gaze on her. She felt an angry glare burning into her, and turned around to see Fawnpaw glaring at her. She hissed and pointedly turned away.

"Welcome, cats of all clans!" Cloverstar yowled, her brown and white fur glowing in the moonlight. "I will begin. I am pleased to announce that Brightclan has three new warriors, Emberhaze, Daisyfur, and Pikeclaw!"

"Emberhaze! Daisyfur! Pikeclaw!" All of the cats chanted.

Cloverstar dipped her head and beckoned Oceanstar to speak.

Oceanstar dipped his head. " I am sad to say that Toadcoat, one of our elders, is hunting with starclan. But I have some great news. Breezeclan has three new apprentices, Hawkpaw, Blizzardpaw, and Smokepaw."

The Clan cats once again chanted their names. Oceanstar dipped his head.

Tealstar stood up, his fur bristling. "Snowclan are murders!" He spat furiously.

At once all of the Snowclan cats yowled in protest, their eyes widening with fury and surprise.

"They killed one of our queens, and her kits!" Tealstar hissed.

"That's not true!" Robinheart, the Nightclan medicine cat yowled. "Tealstar is lying! That queen died giving birth!" She hissed.

Tealstar glared at his medicine cat.
He then sat down.

Crowstar gave him a glare, then began his report. "Vixenpaw was killed by a badger, saving Rainpaw from being killed. We will always remember her courage and selflessness." He meowed

Cats everywhere gave sighs of sympathy. "The gathering is over!" Crowstar yowled. "May starclan light your paths!"