"You nearly destroyed this land!"

"Your strike caused Flame to burn everything!"

"What is a bolt worth, anyway? All they does is cause fear."

Lightning opened his lightning colored eyes, immediately stepping away from the pond of perfect, clear water which lay stagnant before him. His teeth, tightly clenched together, would not allow him to speak, and his mind could not muster the words to grant him the desire to speak against his leader.

On the opposite side of the pond, an almost white cat with glassy blue eyes sat on a tall rock which towered over the sparkling water. He was quiet, calm, relaxed. There was no smile, but no scowl. He was as peaceful as the breeze floating around the two cats.

"It is okay to speak, young Lightning," the white cat soothed. "If you do not, the tension will crush you." Lightning wanted to release the anxiety right into the ground, but as the dark clouds began to form and purple sparks began to be seen, he exhaled and managed to control what was inside him.

After the clouds had cleared, Lightning asked, "Why did you summon me here, Air?"

"Set your gaze upon me, and ask me," Air ordered, his voice wispy as if it were being carried off by the wind. Lightning slowly brought his bright purple eyes to meet the eyes of his elder.

"Why did you summon me here?" Lightning questioned. Then, after a small moment of hesitation, "Why did you force me to look into the pond?"

"There are over four seasons of answers, but only few which can be said here," Air replied. "Has it come to your attention of what problems have arisen back on the realm in which we first dwelled?" Lightning gave a short nod.

"It has, Air," Lightning responded. "This issue, however, needs the entirety of our creation, does it not?"

"Indeed it does," Air confirmed. "However, I need your assistance. There is a. . .choice, as always, which we must make for those who live in the realm of reality. This choice involves those who are not unlike you." Lightning narrowed his eyes.

"How so, smart one?" Lightning questioned.

"After the Great War, there is no question the others have taken to hate you," Air replied. "You, with enough power to kill with one strike, have been demoted to the lowest rank, beaten, isolated, and discriminated for too many sunrises to count. I know you have wanted to prove to them that you are better, stronger, and more controllable, and I am giving you advice to help you."

"I have lived with the prejudice for enough time, Air, I do not need assistance," Lightning claimed.

"Yes, this is what I am speaking about," Air sighed. "When you choose who will bear your element in the other realm, you must choose one who shares your personality, your ambitions, your motives. If you do, the evil spreading around the other realm will never stand a chance, and your reputation will be respected once more."

Lightning narrowed his eyes and asked, "Choose someone to bear my element? But why -?"

"All of us must do so, for if we do not, there will be no chance for those in the other realm," Air responded. "You, however, must choose wisely. If the one who bears your element becomes as great as you were when you were borne of the thunder, you will return to becoming the most revered and feared once more."

"What if I do not wish to burden a mortal with my power?" Lightning questioned.

"You must," Air replied. "If you do not, you will cease to exist as a Guardian of the other realm." Lightning narrowed his eyes, but said nothing further. With a sigh, Air announced, "We shall call the others now. If you would do the honor of bringing Flame, I'd appreciate it." Lightning gave a small, distant nod.

The clouds began to form in seconds, and Lightning sensed the sparks building in the thundering darkness. He took a deep breath and forced his energy to strike right on one of the high rocks behind Air's. Immediately, the lichen caught fire, and the flame grew until a full grown cat with fur like autumn leaves came from them.

Meanwhile, rain began to fall steadily. On another tall stone, the water built up to create a beautiful she-cat the fur color of dull rain. Her dark blue eyes met Lightning's, and he could almost feel himself calming down.

The light rain froze suddenly, and as the snow fell, the snowflakes gathered in one spot above a different high stone. When the snow stopped, a white she-cat with light blue eyes gave a smirk, her sharp teeth seen by everyone.

Lastly, a sprout on the last rock grew up to an exceptional height before it formed into a large brown cat with deep green eyes.

Lightning, who was the only cat without a high stone, took a step back as the pond below him began to swirl with memories of the cats above him. He closed his eyes for a moment, sat, and opened them to meet Air's pitiful gaze before he turned to face the others behind him.

"The time has come for a new page in the history of the other realm!" Air announced, his smooth yet overwhelming voice booming over the distant thunder which had not disappeared like the other elements. "May you take my words with the utmost respect of the importance of this meeting. Darkness falls upon those we have sworn for eons to protect, and to prevent bloodshed, I have created a plan which will only work with the help of your wisdom." Lightning looked away. Bloodshed will not be prevented. . .

"For the first time in years," Air continued, "we must reside within the other realm. We must watch over these cats to protect them from the danger, but also to watch those we have put trust in, for I have made the decision to place one element into one mortal to control. These mortals who control our elements will become our allies, to help us fight against the evil." There was a moment of silence.

"Oh, you have got to be joking," sneered the white she-cat. "Allowing someone to bear my power? The power that the Almighty gave me? No. It is mine."

"Greed is a fatal flaw, Snow," Air warned. "The mortals need your power of Ice. Without any one of us, their lives will crumble."

"Our powers are a danger to mortals," the gray cat reminded Air calmly. "This would not help them, but only destroy them."

"I have considered this," Air responded. "However, since all of you will be deciding for yourselves which mortal will bear your responsibility, I doubt your judgment will go awry. Especially yours, Rain."

"These cats are young, how do we know if they are worthy?" the amber cat questioned.

"If you do not remember correctly, Flame, we age differently than they do," Air replied. "Those who seem young may be mature within. Watch them, even as they sleep. Small things can reveal the largest secrets of a Warrior cat."

"Even if they seem honest before, what if they betray us when they discover their new power?" the brown cat wondered. "Many have faltered once given a choice between gaining control and what is right."

"Mostly, you will be fueling your element into them, so if they misuse the gift, you may take it away from them, Mountain," Air explained.

"That doesn't even matter though, does it?" Lightning muttered lowly from the ground. His electric purple eyes were narrowed on the eldest one. "Why should we give the mortals power when we remember what happened last time our elements were free?"

"You must recall those events constantly, Lightning," came the cold voice of Snow. She held a smirk on her face. "Who wouldn't, after what you did?" The temperature around the black cat fell drastically, forcing him to shiver. A pink scar on the bridge of his nose seemed to sparkle in response.

"Those days have nothing to do with this," Lightning hissed. "The point is, we fought with each other for too many years to count when we first discovered our power, who's to say they won't do the same? By the time we manage to fix it, everything will be destroyed!"

"Just like last time," Flame growled. Lightning's muscles tensed, but he did not retaliate.

"Yes," he said lowly. "Just like last time."

"I have faith in your ability to choose the right mortal," Air told them all. "This must be done, and soon. It cannot be ignored. If either of you fail to choose in four sunrises, I will be forced to suspend your power until the darkness has passed. Am I clear?" There was silence. The wind picked up, and soon the cat was gone with a harmless tornado as his form.

Lightning jumped upward into the clouds before anyone could do anything to him.

Lightning walked through the mirrors. It was dark underneath him, and dark around him. All aside from the endless mirrors which showed a certain place of the other realm. He walked until he passed by Snow, who was intently looking at a small white kitten barely old enough to open her eyes.

"Come to spy on me, Lightning?" Snow asked with smirk.

"I am simply curious," Lightning responded. "I have noticed you have chosen someone who is not clan born."

"I haven't chosen anyone yet, moron," Snow growled lowly. "This one, though. . .she just seems to know what it is like to be constantly freezing. And her future is even more desirable. I doubt she would use my power for anything but to save the forest." Lightning began to move forward when Snow said, "Don't bother finding a mortal in RiverClan. Rain is already looking, and if you chose I mortal here, I'd kill it before it could do anything." He sighed, but moved forward to the mirrors which portrayed a different part of the forest.

He met Flame. The amber cat was staring at a young kitten as well, though it was purebred and son of a leader. It seemed sorrowful.

"Have something to say to me, scarface?" Flame spat, his gaze still upon the mirror.

"No, not at all," Lightning replied.

"You were probably going to say something about choosing a young one, weren't you?" growled Flame. "Oh well. At least I'm smart enough to look at the weaker ones and realize their strengths, hmm?" Lightning nodded despite no one looking at him.

"Yes, you are definitely a smart one," Lighting murmured. He began to walk forward when his feet began to burn. In fear of the fire, Lightning leaped forward and began to run. Distantly, he heard Flame laughing aloud.

When he stopped, he was breathing hard, and his legs were shaky.

"I hope you're not being chased," Rain said softly from her mirror. Lightning looked up.

"Sorry, Flame started -"

"No need for explanation, I can tell from his cackling what he did," Rain interrupted him. Lightning walked over to her and looked into her mirror as she did. A young but almost full grown she-cat was healing a massive, bloody cat. She was fine, though, not at all fazed by the blood. "Brave, isn't she? Not fully clan born, but pure-hearted for sure. I am curious about her."

"Snow told me I couldn't choose from RiverClan," Lightning said, hoping for another opinion.

"It would be wise for you to move to another pack, yes," Rain told him. "Three in one will begin wars. I would see if ShadowClan has any valuable mortals." Lightning's head lowered.

"Flame has claimed a cat from there and I don't believe it would be a good choice to decide on a mortal there," Lightning explained.

Without looking away from her mirror, Rain responded without expression, "No, that idea would not be a good one. ThunderClan, then?" Lightning sighed, but walked toward the sector of mirrors which showed ThunderClan territory. It was a very green place full of trees and aspiring undergrowth.

The cats there are strong, he noted as he watched a few brave cats battling against each other uphill. However, as he saw Mountain sitting by one of the mirrors his hopes crumbled. Cautiously, he approached.

The master of the Earth element was watching a young male cat with several different colors in his fur. He was a hunter by the looks of it, but other cats his age seemed to avoid him.

"Why are they avoiding him like that?" Lightning asked.

"You are old in the mind, but still young in years," Mountain growled. "This tom has not matured correctly, and is odd to everyone who speaks to him. I believe, most likely, it has something to do with a disease which cannot be helped."

"I wonder if any mortal I choose could change that?" Lightning wondered. The massive tom narrowed his eyes.

"No," he said. "I will not allow you to join the clan of my chosen one, and I will definitely choose from this clan."

"Flame and Snow already kept me from ShadowClan and RiverClan, though," Lightning responded.

"I do not care," he growled. "You are too dangerous." Lightning tensed, and before Mountain could see the sorrow in his eyes, he ran. This time, he didn't know where he was going. Away from the territories, perhaps.

Air won't want me in the Grassland Pack either, Lightning growled to himself. I'm too unpredictable. When he made it past all of the mirrors showing ThunderClan's territory, he stopped and simply began to wonder with his head low to the ground.

Why was I created? If all I do is destroy, what is the point of my element? To give Flame something to destroy? To hurt Mountain's trees? To electrify the life in River's element? To cause fear?

Lightning glanced at the mirrors, but he wasn't paying attention. I'm just there to unite everyone else. They don't like me, so they have a common enemy.

I'm useless.

"I'm useless."

Lightning looked up to the nearest mirror and found a young kitten barely old enough to hunt standing before a dirty puddle with a scowl on his face. Despite the tom's age, scars could be seen on several parts of his dark-furred body, and he was far too skinny. Confused, Lightning watched.

For the longest time, the kitten just looked at himself in the water, but soon a white she-cat walked up from behind him and said, "Shadow wants you immediately."

"What for?" the kitten asked.

"Don't ask me, Dark," the white she-cat sighed with exasperation. "I'm only the messenger." Dark stood up and followed the white she-cat with a low head. He scowled, an expression Lightning was very familiar with.

A clearing among the oak trees was what they finally came to. Small caves in the rocky walls surrounding the clearing were what the cats seemed to sleep in, but most were out in the spring weather talking to themselves.

Lightning noticed something about these cats, however. They weren't clan cats or exiled cats of the clans. They were rogues, and a large group at that. Beaten and broken, by the looks of it. Most of the cats looked better than the kitten, but many still had scars and were not getting enough food.

The kitten entered a cave and sat down in the middle of it with closed eyes and a lowered head. "You may leave, Winter," spoke the third cat in the room. The white she-cat nodded and left the den while the kitten, Dark, stayed completely still.

"How many times have I told you not to go wondering too close to the clan territory?" the third cat asked. He moved out of the shadows and Lightning couldn't help but gasp. The cat was massive, huge, almost three times the size of the kitten. He was completely black, short-furred, and had large blue eyes.

"I am sorry, Shadow," Dark responded. "I was chasing a rabbit for you, and I failed to notice how close I was to their borders." Out of no where, Shadow grabbed the scruff of his neck and threw him against the cave wall.

"'Sorry' isn't going to help you, Dark!" Shadow yelled. "If you are discovered, they will rip you to shreds and our plan will be ruined!" Dark slowly sat up in the same position as before and stayed silent.

"You wish to accept your punishment in silence, then?" Shadow questioned. "Fine." The large tom bit the young kitten's ear and ripped a part of it off. The kitten only flinched, nothing more.

Lightning's eyes were wide. How could someone so young not cry out after that? Some part of his mind answered, You did the same thing. He remembered when Snow and Flame had decided to punish him after the Great War. He remembered forcing himself to stay quiet and still as they burned through his own skinned and forced him into temperatures too hot and too cold for a cat.

As blood ran down the kitten's cheek, Shadow growled, "Now get out of my sight." Dark ran out of the cave and then out of the clearing without any healing. Once he was far enough away, he fell to the ground and began to shake.

"I'll kill him someday!" Dark hissed. "I'll show him I'm better than he thinks! I'll show him I'm just as strong as those clan cats!" His yelling soon turned into a soft sob.

He is just like me when I was younger, Lightning realized. Air's suggestion came to his head, and he sat up straighter.He is the one I choose. He is strong enough to contain my power, and he already knows what it is like to be weaker than everyone else. I will grant him the power to defeat that massive cat.

With my power, I grant Dark the power of the sky.

A/N :: I do not own Warriors.

NOTICE -+- Those of you who prowl this site often may notice this story is familiar, though not with my name as the author. I have been given permission to use this from a very good friend of mine, as long as it is revised.

Also! -+- Please take notice that if you see 'wolf' or 'pack,' tell me so I can edit it out. The story was originally revised as a wolf story, and then revised back as a warriors story, if you were wondering.

This story is a larger one with many more point of views than is honestly advised. It was popular in its day, however, so I hope you enjoy it just the same. =)