The moon washed the forest in a great, silvery light that the luminous moon casted upon it. The wild, stormy air ran freely through the forest, thrashing the branches and showering down leaves that didn't have the strength to hold onto their branches. The lake looked as if a battle raged inside of it, and the moon trembled on the rushing water. Everything inside of each border was soaked in the constant rainstorms of Newleaf.
Shadowclan's dark pine forests were soaked, the needles glittering. The great, tall pines stood tall and proud, just like every Shadowclan warrior that had ever lived.
Water rolled off the stonewall that sheltered the Thunderclan cats like a waterfall. The green crowns and canopies of the mighty trees inside of Thunderclan territory shook wildly in the wild storm.
Riverclan's territory was nearly covered with water, and the warriors of Riverclan had been forced to move their camp further up the hill. Streams wove their way through the territory like snakes.
Over in Windclan territory, where the camp rose from the windy moors like ripples on water.
In the darkness of the night, deep in Windclan's territory, stood the camp. Unease pricked at every cat's pelt as most of them stood in the clearing where the storm raged, buffeting them and threatening to swoop them off their paws. Worried mutters passed between them.
"Larkstar has been out for very long."
"Do you think something has happened?"
"Should we send out searching patrols?"
"They've been out since sundown."
"Why did they leave?"
"Lightningclaw says that they found scents of Thunderclan inside our borders."
"Who went with her?"
"Newtscale, Lightningclaw, Nettledawn, Duststorm, Sparkflight and Russetclaw, if I remember right," Ravenwing murmured to his mate, Poppypool.
Poppypool opened her mouth to say something when Greymoon yowled out, "I see something!"
Every cat sprang to their paws and rushed towards the entrance. But to their horror, they saw Lightningclaw at the head of the patrol, with his head down as he fought the storm, while Newtscale and Nettledawn dragged Larkstar on the sodden ground. The Windclan cats gasped and let out wails of terror. Ravenwing and Swanfeather exchanged horrified glances before springing towards them into the storm.
"What happened?" Swanfeather demanded, skidding to halt in front of Lightningclaw as Ravenwing bounded to his leader's body.
"Ambushed!" Lightningclaw gasped. "Thunderclan ambushed us by the borders."
Swanfeather pricked her ears. "That makes no sense. Thunderclan wouldn't do that. They don't send their cats out at this time at night, and in this storm."
A flash of unease could be spotted in Lightningclaw's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. "They did now apparently."
He brushed past the Windclan deputy whose heart was pounding. She dipped her head to the other cats. "Take her inside," she murmured, the cats only just hearing her above the raging weather before following them.
Swanfeather stood over her leader's body that looked small and frail in the rainstorm. Her beautiful pelt was wet and dirty. "Oh, Larkstar, what in Starclan's name happened?" she whispered before bending down and touching Larkstar's shoulder with her nose.
Every other cat had gone back to their dens except Ferntail, who looked grief-stricken for her sister. Her tail dragged behind her as she trailed back to her den.
