Bluestar faintly remembered thrashing her paws as she struggled to breathe. She kicked and flailed, but nothing worked. She tried to heave herself up as a last resort, but nothing worked.

That's all she remembered before she died.

"You have lost a life," Pinestar mewed in the starry meadows of StarClan, looking at Bluestar sadly. "Please, Bluestar. Save the Clans from Thistlestar."

But she knew she couldn't. She woke up, back in the river, unable to move or get out, knowing cats were watching but no one would dare challenge Thistlestar, and then died again.

After six more times, Thistlestar finally let her out. Dripping wet, she lifted her head out of the water and took the biggest breath she thought she had ever taken. But Thistlestar's wet paw touched a side of her neck. He pushed her head to face him, his eyes glittering with happiness and malice. "You're about to die," he whispered.

Bluestar groggily tried to push herself to her paws. "No... no!" She yowled, coughing and collapsing pitifully. Thistleclaw dug his claws into the side of her neck and slowly, painfully, brought his jaws in for the kill, to finally kill Bluestar once and for all. Pain spread through her neck and her body and she was aware of blood bubbling in her throat. The sharp pain faded and all went black.

--

"Wow, you're so great!"

Thistlekit watched Snowkit happily as she praised his leap. "Thanks!" He purred kindly.

Next to the two, Snowkit's sister, Bluekit, rolled her eyes. "We're gonna learn leaps better than that when we're apprentices!" She boasted.

Thistlekit scowled at her, baring his teeth. "I should be a warrior before you! I'm big and strong and I should be the leader!"

Snowkit giggled. "You don't really think that right now, right? You have to be old to be a leader, like Pinestar!"

Moonflower gasped, looking down at Snowkit sternly. "Don't talk about your leader like that!" She scolded. Snowkit ducked, giggling. "Sorry, mama!"

Thistlekit looked at Snowkit fondly. "I still don't understand why I can't be an apprentice! I'm bigger than you, Bluekit!"

Bluekit snorted. "Yeah, but me and Snowkit are way older!"

Snowkit pouted at her sister, tail tip twitching. "Stop being difficult, Bluekit. It must be sad, not able to become an apprentice!"

Bluekit snorted, beginning to bristle. "Well, I'm saying why he isn't an apprentice yet and why we are going to be apprenticed any day now! Why are you so lovey-dovey over him, anyway?"

Thistlekit snarled as Bluekit turned her back and stalked off. Suddenly, the world in front of him flickered and he was with Snowkit-no, Snowpaw- as she grieved for her dead mother.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured quietly. "But she'll be happy in StarClan, I promise! And I really know she'll want you to stay strong and be the best warrior you can be!"

Snowpaw looked at him admiringly. "How are you not a warrior already?" she whispered, eyes shining as she looked at him. Thistlekit smiled warmly.

"I will be one day, and when I am, I'll be the best warrior ever! You'll be my deputy when I'm the leader," Thistlekit replied.

Snowpaw shrugged. "I don't wanna be a leader. But I'll watch as you become the best leader ever," she purred, licking Thistlekit on the cheek. Then she sighed, shoulders slumping. "Moonflower would be so proud if Bluepaw or I became the deputy."

Thistlekit's eyes flashed and he snorted. "Moonflower can be proud from StarClan! Besides, Bluepaw won't ever become the deputy. She's mean and would be a bad deputy!" He pouted.

Snowpaw licked him between the ears. "I know you and Bluepaw don't like each other, but please try to be nice?" She asked kindly. Thistlekit hung his head, ashamed.

"Sorry, Snowpaw-"

The world flickered before him again and he was an apprentice and mourning his sister, Sweetpaw, who died from a horrible stomach bug. "I'll miss you so much," he choked out.

Snowfur padded over and nuzzled him. "I'm so sorry," she meowed softly. "She'll be happy in StarClan with Moonflower. They'll watch over you and be so proud of you. When you become the leader, remember?"

Thistlepaw tried to smile but it didn't work and he pressed against the warrior's side, letting out a sob. "I don't want her to leave me," he whimpered.

Snowfur sighed. "I know. But it's part of life and she'll look over you. You still have Rosepaw, right? And me!"

Thistlepaw didn't reply, lying his head on her shoulder. Bluefur watched with a sad blue gaze. Slowly she hung her head and padded over, pressing her nose to Sweetpaw's corpse. "I'll miss you," she murmured quietly.

Thistlepaw growled, getting to his paws and staring at the new warrior. Bluefur watched with a sympathetic expression. She opened her jaws but Thistlepaw growled and she closed it again. With a look at Snowfur, she walked away-

And suddenly Thistleclaw was in front of Snowfur's dead body. He buried his muzzle in her scruff for a second, before looking up in hatred. Bluefur sat in front of him, looking depressed and miserable. But it didn't matter. He walked around the body and glared at Bluefur with fire in his eyes. "This was your fault," he snarled. Bluefur took a step back, surprised and sad. "What?" She whimpered, looking absolutely pathetic.

Thistleclaw snorted, eyes glittering with malice. "You know what I'm talking about," he meowed softly, staring at Bluefur with hatred. Bluefur blinked and looked away, not meeting his gaze. She closed her eyes and hung her head.

When she opened her eyes she was in the grounds of StarClan once more. She stared at Snowfur dully. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "Maybe if I were nicer to him he wouldn't be like this."

Snowfur snorted. "Don't give yourself too much credit! He would turn out like this even if you were his mate, I bet."

Bluestar looked away, hanging her head. "But-"

"I was mad when you disrespected him because he was my mate. But it wasn't your fault he turned out that way!"

Bluestar looked back at her sister, hope glittering in her eyes. "Really?"

Snowfur nodded. "Really. Now," she meowed more briskly. "Let's get going."