Stonefang's first thought was he was being attacked by a rogue but the familiar scent of his son invaded his senses. After being released, he rolled up onto his feet and faced his son. "Toadstream? Is that really you?" he asked, hoping he wasn't dreaming. He moved in closer to make sure. "It is you!" he exclaimed happily.

"Loststar?" Cutthroat asked. "What does Fallclan's leader have to do with you?" He was so surprised at Toadstream's comment that he didn't answer his question.

Stonefang backed away from Toadstream with a questioning look in his eyes. "Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to take advantage of our situation. She always was cold and aloof. Those are the ones you have to watch out for. You never know when they'll strike." He had no love for FallClan. The cats he had met at gatherings all seemed so self important and unfriendly. There were other clans who seemed nice enough though, like SummerClan. Cats from there were always friendly to him and like to talk.

"Joined Fallclan?" Stonefang asked confusion written clearly on his face. Both he and Cutthroat hadn't really understood the complete devastation Earthclan had under gone. In the back of Stonefang's mind, he had thought the surviving members had scattered only temporary but would come back to their land eventually. He didn't realize (and didn't want to believe) that the clan was actually no more. "Why? Aren't you coming back to EarthClan?"

Cutthroat glanced over at Celistialglow questioningly too then looked back at Toadstream. He was more blunt. "So just because she saved you, as you say, you decided to turn your back on Earthclan, the clan where you were born and where your loyalties should lie, and join hers?" He felt his fur rising in defense of his clan.

Cutthroat began to say something but Stonefang cut him off. "D-destroyed?" he asked, then continued. "Half our clan is ... dead?" His eyes were wide with shock and grief. "Berryfrost ... do you know where she went?" He didn't want to believe the unthinkable. "I - I want to go to her."

Shock registered on Stonefang's face. Then grief and sorrow. He slumped onto the ground and wept. "NO.....NO! I should have been there for you!" In his mind he pictured his beautiful mate. "If I were there then both of you would have been saved!" He felt like his heart was being torn from his chest. Then in an effort to compose himself, he rose to a sitting position. "She died an honorable death saving another, one of our kits, you," he sniffed.

"I know you would have," Stonefang meowed shakily. "You're a good cat." Tears flowed down his muzzle as he leaned in closer to his son. He looked up at Celestialglow and nodded his gratitude for her words. He knew she must be suffering as well because she and Berryfrost were friends. He had seen them talking together from time to time.

Cutthroat felt sorry for his friend and wished things didn't turn out as they had. He was about to say something when he heard a noise, a rustling in the undergrowth. "Um, I hate to break this up but I believe we have company." Just then three cats came into view. Two were gray tabby toms and the other was an all black she cat. One of the toms spoke up with a voice carrying authority. "What are you doing near the Moon Creek?" he demanded.

"This is my business," he growled, flattening his ears as he prepared to spring.

"Wait Graythorn," the other tom meowed as he stepped forward. "These cats aren't rogues as we thought. I recognize their scent. They're from EarthClan, well at least those cats are. That one's from FallClan."

"Dustfeather's right," Pantherclaw joined in. "I remember talking with those two at gatherings." She indicated Cutthroat and Stonefang. "Hi! Remember us?" she meowed.

Cutthroat's eyes widened as recognition came to him. "Of course! These cats are from SummerClan," he told Celestialglow and Toadstream. "They were really nice and friendly to me and Stonefang two moons ago."

Graythorn felt like giving Toadstream one of the sharp replies he's known for but decided against it. It would serve no useful purpose. "We're going to the Moon Creek. I have medicine cat business to attend to and these two came along with me."

"Hey!" Pantherclaw interjected as a thought came to her. "You're not living here now since, well ... uh..." she realized as she was speaking it might not be nice to talk about their misfortune.

Graythorn began to suddenly get excited when he heard Toadstream speak. Rushing forward to Cutthroat, he meowed, “Quick! Tell me your names.”

Cutthroat took a step back from the animated medicine cat before answering him. “I’m Cutthroat.” And then looking at his mate he said, “And she’s Celestialglow and this is Stonefang. Why do you ask?” Graythorn’s excitement increased when he heard their names.

Stonefang was standing next to Toadstream. He was touched by his son’s offer to join him. What is this cat so worked up about? he wondered as he watched the interaction between his clanmate and the SummerClan tom.

“StarClan sent me here to find you,” Graythorn meowed. “I’ll admit I had my doubts as to what they meant at first but now I see it clearly.”

“What are you talking about?” Stonefang asked, taking a step forward. He wondered what the medicine cat meant when he mentioned StarClan.

“StarClan sent you?” Cutthroat asked dubiously. “Why would they do that? They destroyed our home. They don’t care about us anymore.”

Dustfeather and Pantherclaw eyed their medicine cat curiously but neither spoke.