Warriors: The Apprentice’s Journey

by Tinyheart129

Summary:

For generations the clans have known relative peace. Threats from the outside seem lessened. But darkness now lurks on the horizon. When a young Thunder Clan apprentice sees a vision of seven stars lighting the way she knows she must gather them in order to reveal the path Star Clan is leading her down.

Chapter 1: Allegiances

Thunder Clan

Leader

Larchstar(Urial): pale brown tabby tom with white paws and amber eyes.

Deputy

Brightweave (Allura): golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Medicine Cat

Amberleaf (Jacqueline): Dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice

Trickpaw (Pike): small white she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors

Kiteclaw (Kima): small dappled brown she-cat with blue eyes.

Oakshade: dark brown tabby she-cat with black paws and green eyes

Iceclaw: white tom with silver tabby markings a missing fore leg and yellow eyes (apprentice Nightpaw)

Blazeheart (Karlach): battle scarred dark ginger She-cat with amber eyes.

Flashtail: molten golden brown tom with a dark ginger tail and green eyes

Buckskin: brown tabby tom with a black tail and hazel eyes

Hollypool: black she-cat with a white tipped tail, and one yellow eye and one green eye (apprentice Silverpaw)

Gingerpelt: ginger tom with very long fur and blue eyes

Goldenfur: gold tabby she-cat with a torn ear and light blue eyes

Blueheart (Brimscythe): white tom with grey and blue patches and hazel eyes

Robinwing: dark ginger tabby she-cat with brown paws and tail tip and green eyes

Coontail: dark brown tabby tom with a black ringed tail and amber eyes (formerly of Shadow clan)  

Stormfeather: Dark grey tabby tom with blue eyes

Sunblaze (Elayna) dark ginger She-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice Strongpaw)

Apprentices

Silverpaw: Silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Nightpaw: Black she-cat with blue eyes.

Strongpaw (Grog): large, stocky grey tabby tom with green eyes

Queens 

Flowerpelt: light grey she-cat with white markings and light blue eyes (expecting Flashtail’s kits)

Elders

Wheattuft (Wilhand): small pale brown tom with tufted ears and green eyes

Sky Clan

Leader

Wolfstar: light grey tabby tom with a scared muzzle and amber eyes

Deputy

Harvestmoon: black and white she-cat with green eyes (formally of Thunder Clan)

Medicine cat
Yarrowflower (Yennen): Brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors

Lavenderpelt: grey tabby tom with violet eyes and torn ears

Streamfur: silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes and a missing ear (apprentice Reedpaw)

Blazetail: ginger tabby tom with a dark ginger tail and green eyes

Lichenclaw: dark grey curly furred she-cat with harsh amber eyes (apprentice Birchpaw)

Beechleaf: light brown tabby tom with a scared shoulder and yellow eyes

Swiftfoot: thin black she-cat with a white tail and green eyes

Snowbreeze: fluffy white tom with green eyes and a splayed paw (apprentice Darkpaw)

Skunkstripe: black tom with a white stripe down his back and amber eyes

Moonwing (Vee): scarred, white she-cat with red eyes

Oakstripe (Wyll): Dark brown tabby Tom with a missing eye.

Geckoleap: golden tabby she-cat with white paws and yellow eyes

Cloudflame: ginger tabby tom with a white chest, belly, paws, and blue eyes

Duststorm: light brown tom with white paws and tail tip and yellow eyes

Bearroar (Halsin): large brown tabby tom with green eyes.

Apprentices 

Birchpaw: grey she cat with dark grey paws, tail tip, amber eyes

Darkpaw: black she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

Reedpaw: dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes

Tinypaw (Archie): ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Finchpaw: silver tabby tom with amber eyes  
Queens

Shimmerfur: white long furred she-cat (mother of Spotkit, Rainkit, and Brackenkit)

Elders

Blacktail: old white tom with a black tail and yellow eyes

Rippedfur: old grey battle scared tabby she-cat with blind blue eyes

Wind Clan

Leader

Cranestar (Korrin): pale dappled brown tom with green eyes

Deputy

Leafclaw: brown tabby she-cat with a scarred muzzle, and a burn scar that covers the left side of her face and one amber eye (left eye charred black)  

Medicine cat

Firetail: ginger tabby she-cat with and black tipped tail and amber eyes

Warriors

Iceflame: white tom with ginger patches a stump tail and blue eyes

Fadefeather (Fade): dappled brown she-cat with ambereyes. (apprentice Rowanpaw)

Rabbitfoot: light brown tom with a white stump tail and yellow eyes

Featherpelt: pretty light grey tabby she-cat with white paws, tail tip, green eyes (apprentice Larkpaw)

Tigertail: ginger tom with black markings and amber eyes

Poppyflower: grey she cat with black flecks a torn ear and blue eyes

Lightningtail (Eddy): blue-grey tabby tom with blue eyes (apprentice Lakepaw)

Lizardclaw: (Lae’zel): pale brown spotted she-cat with yellow eyes.

Driftreed (Veth): small dark brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Snowfoot: long furred white she-cat with black ears and blue eyes

Rockleap (Yeza): dark grey tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes

Dogfur: black tom with white paws, tail, and green eye

Hawkswoop: light brown tom with soft fur and blue eyes

Mothwind: tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Staghorn (Steg): battle scarred grey tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices

Lakepaw (Luc) light grey tabby n with light blue eyes

Rowanpaw (Keylith): dark ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Larkpaw: dark ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Bearpaw: dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Queens

Swanflight: white she-cat with back markings on her face with blue eyes (mother of Whitekit, Blazekit, and Rosekit)

Brightsun: light ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Hawkswoop’s kits)

Elders

Greyrose: old dark grey tabby she-cat with torn ears and green eyes

River Clan

Shatteredstar (Osysa): Aging white she-cat with jagged black stripes and blue eyes

Deputy

Fawnwish: ginger she cat with white spots and blue eyes

Medicine cat

Twilightstep (Esmeralda): black white she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors

Sparrowwing: dark brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Rootfur: ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Saltstorm: white she-cat with yellow-green eyes

Rubyshine (Ruby): pretty dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes (apprentice Stempaw)

Mintleaf: light grey tabby tom with mint-green eyes

Stonepelt (Kamaljiori): dark grey tabby tom with torn ears and amber eyes (apprentice Flamepaw)

Oakleaf: light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Browntail: pretty brown tabby she-cat with white paws and green eyes (apprentice Blackpaw)

Sunsplash: golden tabby tom with bright green eyes and a scared cheek (apprentice Shortpaw)

Galestorm (Gale): long furred brown tabby tom with blue eyes.

Pebblefoot: Silver tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

Sandyhollow: light ginger tom with brown flecks a bushy tail and hazel eyes

Troutspot: Grey and silver spotted she-cat with yellow eyes (apprentice Lightpaw)

Streamflower: pretty white and silver tabby she-cat with ice blue eyes

Gillfin (Gilmore): dark brown tabby Tom with strange markings and blue eyes.

Apprentices

Flamepaw (Zarah): dark ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Stempaw: silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Shortpaw (Scanlan): small dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Blackpaw: dark grey tom with a black tail and deep blue eyes

Lightpaw (Kashaw): light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Queens

Nettlefur: golden-brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expiating Sandyhollow’s kits)

 

Shadow Clan

Leader

Silverstar (Syldor): Sleek brown tabby tom with silver eyes.

Deputy

Hawkfeather: Light brown tabby she-cat with white markings and yellow eyes

Medicine Cat

Specklefur: grey tom with black flecks, white paws and green eyes

Blackfur: black tom with a silver tipped tail and hazel eyes
Warriors

Honeytail: Golden-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Whitecloud: white tabby tom with dull green eyes (formerly known as Dustcloud)

Moonstripe: black tom with a silver stripe down his back, a silver tail, a white star on his chest, and hazel eyes

Palewing: light cream tabby she-cat with light blue eyes

Windleaf: pale brown tabby tom with white paws and green eyes

Hollyflower: pretty, black and white she-cat with green eyes (apprentice Jaypaw)

Lemonfur: light gold tabby tom with amber eyes and torn ears

Amberclaw: ginger tabby tom with light green eyes and white paws

Manglepelt: battle scared grey tabby tom with yellow eyes and a missing ear

Icefang (Astarion): long furred white tom with red eyes.

Shadowheart: black and white she-cat with green eyes.

Aldershade (Dolha) dark ginger and tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Marshfoot: dark brown tabby tom with black fore legs and amber eyes

Lapwingflight: light grey tabby she-cat with torn ears and blue eyes

Thistlefang: molten grey tom with a scared muzzle and amber eyes

Foxpatch: white tom with dark ginger patches and hazel eyes

Wolfleap (Chetney): white tom with dark grey patches and yellow eyes

Shortshadow (Bo): Small black tom with green eyes. (Apprentice Ravenpaw)

Apprentices

Pinepaw: light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Ravenpaw (Vax): sleek black tom with yellow eyes

Jaypaw (Vex): brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Queens

Maplefall: dark ginger tortoiseshell with blue eyes (expecting Amberclaws kits)  

Darkwhisker (Devana): dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Silverstar’s kits)

Elders
Frostpelt: White she-cat with black ear tips and blind blue eyes (former medicine cat)

 

Chapter 2: Prolog

Never before this sunrise had true shadows appeared in Star Clan’s hunting grounds. 
It was only for a moment, a breath… but it caused fur to bristle and tails to bush out across the star speckled land. Yowls rang out among the departed warriors and suddenly solid and fading star flecked pelts were crowding around the Moon Pool.

”What is happening?!” A she-cat wailed.

”Is something wrong with Shadow Clan?” Another stepped forward, shoving her way past several other cats to pear into the pool with the fearful eyes of a mother.

”Calm yourself Feathercloud.” And golden tabby tom raised his head to meet her fearful gaze. “Your kits are safe.”

”Now is not the time to be focused on single kits, Quickstrike.” A sleek black she-cat jumped up onto the rocks, her pelt a pale echo of the once great leader she had been.

”Ravenstar…” a few cats murmured, ears pricked to attention.

”Cats of Star Clan!” She yowled to the air. “This is an omen.” Ravenstar scanned them with her piercing amber gaze. “Darkness has Appeared at our boarders! And now it threatens the living clans!”

”After so long?” Firestar, the Great Thunder Clan leader, spoke up. “It has been seasons since the clans have faced a threat from outside of its boarders.”

”How will the Clans cope with a threat they know nothing about?” Quickstrike was peering into the pool looking very worried now. The Thunder Clan tom was so recently dead, having left his beloved mate behind before they’d even begun to live their lives together.

”By looking to cats within and without their boarders.” Ravenstar spoke, her yellow eyes blazing bright as suns. “There will be seven. The six are already here, they must find the final and being him to return fog to the skies.”

”A prophecy about Sky Clan?” Leafstar, one of the clan’s former leaders spoke up in agitated interest. “But fog clouds the vision of what is to come, how can it be a good thing?”

”The prophecy has been spoken.” Ravenstar’s neck fur bristled. “Are you to question its wording when you have yet to understand it? Need I remind you of how ‘fire’ saved not just Thunder Clan but all the clans? Yours included.”

”Fog is another cat then.” Slithertail asked. The former Thunder Clan medicine cat looked calm as if this was just another sunrise. “Who must become part of Sky Clan of course.” He flicked his tail. “Who shall we send this prophecy to?”

Ravanstar inclined her head to the Thunder Clan cat. “To your kit’s apprentice.”

”An apprentice!?”

The shock was palpable. 

“We have sent omens to much younger cats before.” Yellowfang pointed out. 

“And how well did that end?” Jayfeather scoffed. 

“The clans are still standing are they not?” Ravenstar twitched her tail. “In part thanks to you and your twin.”

”Yes, and we can’t ever thank you enough for choosing us for that Ravenstar.” Jayfeather rolled his blind eyes. “Who are you next lucky selections?”

Ravenstar twitched her ears in slight amusement. “Jaypaw and Ravenpaw of Shadow Clan.”

Feathercloud took in a deep breath, the cat who spoke the prophecies had just named her own two kits.

”Trickpaw and Strongpaw of Thunder Clan.” The black she-cat continued. “Rowanpaw of Wind Clan.” She let that hang in the air. “And Shortpaw of River Clan.”

The gathered cars were silent for a moment before they proclaimed the chosen cats with pride. Sky Clan had no chosen cat yet.

”How will they find the seventh?” Slithertail asked the dark she-cat. 

“They must journey together.” Ravenstar spoke. “And follow the Thunder Path in the direction the sun rises to find him.” The instructions were simple. Things always started that way. “Slithertail. Will you deliver this omen?”

The grey tabby dipped his head to her. “It would be my honor.” He intoned.

”Then on the half moon you will deliver this message to her.” Ravenstar’s eyes unfocused and she spoke in a much more raspy and harsh mew. “Darkness gathers around. Six must become seven. The final will be found on unfamiliar ground.”

Chapter 3: Chapter 1

“Trickpaw.” Amberleaf‘s mew came from inside the herb store.and the little whit she-cat raised her head from the leaves she’d been sorting.

”Yes.” She raised her tail in interest.

”Can you go out and gather up some fresh chamomile? We’re running low and we’ll need it for our trip to the Moon Pool tonight.” Her mentor emerged from the store with bits of dried leaf stuck in the her ginger pelt. “And Silverpaw is always asking for some to help her sleep.” She muttered that last part to herself.

“I can do that.” Trickpaw nodded. 

“Take another apprentice with you.” Amberleaf had started to check over her apprentice’s sorting work. She seemed to at least approve of it.

”I’ll see if Strongpaw is available.” Trickpaw mewed nosing her way out of the medicine den and into the sun light that streamed into the stone hollow.

The warrior apprentices were laid out in the late day sun by their den. After a day of training it was no wonder they were tired.

Trickpaw purred and gently prodded the large grey tabby with a paw. “Strongpaw.” She meowed playfully. “Come on buddies I need your help.”

”Huh…?” One green eye cracked open and Strongpaw raised his head. “What?”

”Amberleaf says I need help to go out and gather some chamomile.” Trickpaw watched the large tom stretched and yawn.

Nightpaw looked up as well. “Why is it one of our job to help gather herbs? We’re not medicine cats.”

”I like helping my friend.” Strongpaw said getting fully to his paws. “Let’s go.” 

Trickpaw purred as the two of them set off for the thorn tunnel leading out of camp.

Trickpaw knew all the good herb patches but it was still early new leaf. Amberleaf had warned her not to touch too much of the new  stems in case they needed more of that herb later in the season.

she’d only been training as an apprentice for less than a moon, but she’d been helping around the medicine den since she was a kit. It hadn’t always made Slithertail very happy… he hadn’t seemed at all keen on taking on another apprentice so soon after Amberleaf had completed her own training… but then the old Tom had died in an accident.

A landslide that Trickpaw had seen in a dream a night before it happened. 
She’d tried to warn Slithertail, but the old medicine cat had dismissed it as a kit’s imagination. That sunset Kiteclaw and Sunblaze had returned to camp with Slithertail’s battered body.

Amberleaf had been devastated by the loss of her mentor and father. But she’d looked at Trickpaw in a new light after that. She’d gone to Larchstar to request that she be allowed to train Trickpaw as her apprentice and present her to Star Clan. Their clan leader had approved. And now Trickpaw was just one night away from finding out if she could continue her training.

”Is this chamomile?” Strongpaw’s question pulled Trickpaw from her thoughts.

She padded over and gave the clump of leaves a deep sniff. “It is, good work buddies. How’d you know?”

”It smells like Silverpaw.” Strongpaw said simply.

”Oh, is she still having trouble sleeping?” Trickpaw asked.

”Yeah, she’s always tossing and turning in her nest. It’s a mess.” He nodded ears flicking. “And she meows in her sleep.”

”Maybe if she talked to Amberleaf about it she could have some poppy seeds instead.” Trickpaw said as she bent down to bite off a few of the chamomile stems. 

“She’s been like that since she was in the nursery.” Strongpaw said.

”Yeah I remember Oakshade needing to make her a separate nest so she wouldn’t kick Nightpaw while they were sleeping.

”and how she used to wake up the whole den yowling.” Strongpaw added.

Without a mother of their own, Wheattuft, Trickpaw’s grandfather, had looked after her and Strongpaw in the nursery. Strongpaw had no clan kin to speak of, having been born to and the abandoned by rogues. Trickpaw’s own kin had left the clans… and event none in Thunder Clan wanted to speak of.

”We should head back.” She spoke around the stems in her jaws. “I can’t be late to my first half moon meeting.”

”You really think Star Clan will speak to you?” Strongpaw asked as they set off again.

”They must, why else would they have sent me that dream about Slithertail?” Trickpaw’s paws prickled with anxiety all the same. What if she wasn’t a medicine cat after all?

They pushed back through the thorn tunnel into the camp. Amberleaf was standing with Larchstar and the deputy Brightweave at the base of the high ledge. Wheattuft was sitting with them as well, and he raised his head when he noticed Trickpaw and Strongpaw.

”She’s here.” He purred, pride in his eyes.

”good.” Amberleaf separated the steps into portions when Trickpaw set them down. “Strongpaw, take the rest of these back to my den.” She instructed.

Strongpaw nodded and touched his nose to Trickpaw’s ear in farewell before pawing off with the stems.

“Eat these now.” Amberleaf pushed the bundle of traveling herbs towards Trickpaw.

The small white she-cat dipped her head and began to lick up the bitter tasting leaves.

”Good luck little one.” Wheattuft purred giving the top of her head a few quick licks. “I know you’ll do great.”

”It’s Star Clan’s choice.” Brightweave stated. “But I can’t see how their answer could be no.”

”The only way to find out is to ask.” Larchstar dipped his head to Amberleaf. “Come to me first thing when you return. My Star Clan light your path.”

”They always do.” Amberleaf laid her tail of Trickpaw’s shoulders. “Come on.”

And back out the thorn tunnel they went. Through the territory and down to the pebbly lake shore. The gathering island was a shadow against the scarlet sky.

“Smells like Wind Clan and River clan have beaten us here.” Amberleaf meowed as their paws hit warn smooth stone. There were little divots… like they were stepping into ancient pawsteps.

 Trickpaw saw two she-cats waiting for them at the top of the hollow. A ginger tabby, and another with black and white patches.

”Amberleaf!” The black and white she-cat padded over her tail curling happily. She touched her nose to the other’s cheek. “How are things in Thunder Clan?”

”They’re going well.” Amberleaf purred returning the gesture. She gestured Trickpaw forward. “This is Trickpaw. She’s looking to be the next medicine cat apprentice. Trickpaw, this is Twilightstep, River Clan’s medicine cat.” She looked at the ginger tabby. “And Firetail, the medicine cat of Wind Clan,”

both cats greeted Trickpaw warmly.

”here comes Shadow Clan.” Firetail spoke up. 

out of the darkness of the under growth stepped two toms. One speckled grey the other black as night.

”Specklefur, Blackfur.” Amberleaf greeted, there was no need to ask which name belonged to which cat.

”Greetings.” Specklefur nodded in acknowledgement. 

“That just leaves Sky Clan.” Twilightstep mewed curling her tail over her paws.

They waited until as the stars began to appear in the sky and the bushes shivered again. An older brown tabby she-cat pushed her way out of them.

”what was the hold up Yarrowflower?” Blackfur’s tail twitch irritably.

”Moonwing is in my den with a bad belly.” The older she-cat meowed.

”Is she alright?” Amberleaf had stiffened with worry beside Trickpaw.

She knew her mentor was close with the Sky Clan warrior. Mooning had been a Thunder Clan cat, but she’d moved to Sky Clan to be with her mate Oakstripe.

”She will be fine.” Yarrowflower had sorrow in her yellow eyes. “It is normal after kissing a litter of kits.”

”Moonwing lost her litter…?” Twilightstep spoke up exchanging a look of grief with Amberleaf.

”Oakstripe is with her now.” Yarrowflower nodded. “He hasn’t left her side since the bleeding began. She will live.” 

“I’ll bring Sunblaze to visit soon.” Amberleaf said.

”Moonwing would love that.” Yarrowflower smiled sadly.

”Does anyone else have anything important to report?” Firetail asked.

”I have.” Amberleaf stood. “I am here to see if Star Clan will approve of me training Trickpaw here as a Thunder Clan medicine car apprentice.

”Then we should head down to the pool before we run out of Moon Light.” Blackout stated taking the lead down the spiral slope.

the view took Trickpaw’s breath away. It was like looking into a fallen piece of the night sky. The stars shimmered on the surface of the still water seemed even brighter than the ones in the sky.

”Wow…” Trickpaw breathed, the fur on her spine lifting slightly in excitement. Even if they said no… it was all worth it just to see this.

They each took their place around the pool.

Amberleaf turned her head up to the stars. “Warriors of star Clan, medicine cats of the living clans, I Amberleaf, medicine cat of Thunder Clan, bring Trickpaw before you. It is her wish to train as a medicine cat. I commend her to you and we await your judgement.” The dark ginger she-cat lowered her head to the pool  and gestured that Trickpaw do the same.

the water was cold as her nose made contact. Settled down on the stone edge of the pool Trickpaw closed her eyes.

And suddenly… everything felt cold. When she opened her eyes there was nothing but darkness. Did this mean that she’d failed? Did Star Clan disapprove?

”The first of the seven is here.” A voice spoke from inside the darkness. A tiny pinprick of light appeared in the darkness. A star.

”She must gather five more who dwell among the clans.” The voice continued, “they must journey toward the rising sun, and return to being fog to the sky.”

That one star became six and they blazed brightly above the image of a rising sun.

Trickpaw’s eyes shot open. The others around her were all stirring.

”Seven stars.” Amberleaf shook herself.

”so… all of you saw that then?” Blackfur asked, his sharp tone slightly softened.

”We have been given a prophecy.” Yarrowflower agreed. “And Trickpaw it seems is part of it. Star Clan has spoken its approval of your apprentice.”

Amberleaf purred. “They have indeed.” She looked at Tricklaw. “And she’ll be gathering more than herbs very soon.”

Chapter 4: Chapter 2

Jaypaw was trying to give herself and her brother a thorough grooming as the sun began to set over the ring of pine trees that circled the Shadow Clan camp. This would be their first gathering as apprentices and they had to make a good first impression. Their father Silverstar had made that very clear.

”Hey, I look fine.” Ravenpaw tried to bat her away lightly with a paw. “Stop that before you lick all my fur off.”

”You’re not holding still.” Jaypaw scolded him.

”Shortshadow says it’s not a big deal.” Ravenpaw pulled his tail out of her reach and sat up. 

“Shortshadow is the most nervous cat in all the clans.” Jaypaw rolled her eyes.

She could see the small black tom in question talking in hushed, probably stammering tones to her own mentor Hollyflower, probably the most dainty cat in all of Shadow Clan. When their father had named these two cats their mentors it had felt like some kind of bad joke. Like he didn’t want to waste two of his good warriors training his two half clan kits.

”Well…” Ravenpaw sighed. “At least he’s fair. And he doesn’t care that I’m half clan. He has friends from all the other clans.”

”Only because he went on a journey with them a long time ago.” Jaypaw rolled her eyes again. “What have they done since?”

Her brother didn’t have answer for that so she finished up grooming herself as best she could.

”Ravenpaw, Jaypaw.” Shortshadow called them over his stumpy tail raised as high as it possibly could be. “Come on. The clan is about to leave.”

The two litter mates stood and padded over to join their mentors. Jaypaw tried to catch their father’s eye but Silverstar was in determinedly deep conversation with his deputy. He probably had already forgotten that they were even coming to this gathering. The only cat who’d really seemed happy for them was Silverstar’s new mate. Darkwhisker was at least kind to them, those she never tried to mother them. Jawpaw secretly wished that she would.

The trek down to the lake shore wasn’t as long as Jaypaw had feared it would be. Normally she and her brother would have passed the time by at least chatting with each other but they didn’t dare risk it. Even if it didn’t seem like it their father was always watching them for any mistake no matter how small. They couldn’t make one until they were lost among the pelts of the other clans.

it didn’t take long.

”Thunder Clan and Sky Clan aren’t here yet.” Hollyflower observed her tail raised. 
There was a gathering of other clan apprentices under a near by bush.

”Go on.” Shortshadow urged Ravenpaw and Jaypaw. “Go make some friends.” The small black tom was already looking around and soon he was padding off to join two Wind Clan cats. “Lightningtail, Fadefeather!” He purred.

Jaypaw exchanged a look with her brother and they padded over to the other apprentices without anything else to do. All they would have done was just sit alone together after all.

”Hi!” A dark ginger Wind Clan cat greeted them, her green eyes glittering. “I’m Rowanpaw.” She flicked her tail at the two much older apprentices. Both River Clan toms. “This is Shortpaw and Gillpaw.”

”Not anymore.” The larger built of the two toms purred. “Shatteredstar gave us our warrior names two days ago. I’m Gillfin and he’s Shorthalt now.”

”Wow!” Rowanpaw mewed happily. “I didn’t know you’d done your assessments already.”

”Eh, it was nothing.” Shorthalt puffed out his chest fur proudly. “Fish don’t require as much chasing as rabbits do.” He raised his brows at the Wind Clan cat playfully.

”And what should we call you my young Shadow Clan friends?” Gillfin asked the two litter mates.

”I’m Ravenpaw, this is my sister Jaypaw.” He said seeming more at ease at the friendliness of these cats.

”nice to meet you.” Rowanpaw purred happily. She looked over at where Shortshadow was still speaking with his friends from Wind Clan, now joined by a Thunder Clan warrior and their medicine cat. A heavily scarred white Sky Clan she-cat slid right in to join them, her red eyes rimmed with grief as Shortshadow touched his nose to her shoulder.

”That’s Moonwing.” Rowanpaw said. “Fadefeather talks about her a lot.”

”Sunblaze does too.” A big grey tabby pushed into their little circle now and the others all greeted the new comer.

”Strongpaw!” Shorthalt purred. “How’s it going big guy?”

”Weird. It’s going weird.” Strongpaw inclined his ears to where Amberleaf the Thunder clan Medicine cat was leading a small white she-cat to the roots of the Great Oak. “Trickpaw’s been spending a few days just talking to Larchstar and Brightweave. After she went to the Moon pool for the first time.” The big tom looked worried.

”Did she see something?” Shorthault asked watching the little she-cat with interest now.

”I don’t know.” Strongpaw said. “She said she can’t talk to me about it cause it’s Star Clan stuff or something like that.”

Jaypaw rolled her eyes. “Medicine cat stuff will always be confusing.”

”Specklefur is always complaining about how vague Star Clan is.” Ravenclaw agreed. “Very, very loudly.”

The others all purred in amusement. 

“You should hear Twilightstep go on about it.” Shorthalt whiskers twitched. “She would have made a great warrior he’s so fierce.”

”Fadefeather says she almost was.” Rowanpaw said. “And that she can fight pretty well for a medicine cat.”

”Shortshadow says that too.” Ravenpaw said. “She even once killed a rogue.”

Jaypaw knew her brother’s mentor was always going on in his stammering tones about his friends outside of Shadowclan. So much so she also knew it made Silverstar question the small tom’s loyalty to their clan.

”Cats of all clans!” Larchstar yowled from the leader’s branch of the Great Oak. “The gathering begins now!”

The gathered cats of the five clans all fell silent at once. It was the tone of his voice if nothing else. There was something about this tom that just radiated authority. More so than Silverstar even. Sure her father ruled with strong sternness but this cat didn’t seem to have to so much as snarl to bring order to the clamber of multiple clans. Jaypaw couldn’t ever see her father accomplishing such a feat on his own without snarling and bristling his fur as a threat.

Larchstar exchanged looks with the other leaders but before he could speak, Silverstar stepped forward on the branch.

“Prey is running well in Shadow Clan.” He said, “there was fox sighted on our boarder with Sky Clan, but we haven’t seen it in a few days. It may have crossed over into your territory.”

No mention that Jaypaw and Ravenpaw were now apprentices.

”We did spot it.” Wolfstar nodded. “But we managed to chase it off into the forest behind Thunder Clan.

“We will keep an eye out for it.” Larchstar dipped his head. He’d been their mother’s leader. Feathercloud… she’d always spoken so highly of Thunder Clan. But Jaypaw could hardly remember anything about it. Their father had taken them from there when they were so young. Their mother had died and he had taken them from her clan. 
How different their lives could have been if he hadn’t done that. Strongpaw would be their den mate now. They’d have different mentors… friends other than each other.

”But we have more important matters to discuss.” Larchstar went on. “At the last half moon meeting Amberleaf took her new apprentice, Trickpaw, to the Moon Pool to be confirmed by Star Clan.” Before more chanting of acclamation could begin he went on quickly. “There the young apprentice received a prophecy.” He looked down at the small white she-cat.

She looked horribly nervous being asked to address the who gathering, but she spoke.

”When I was at the moon pool a voice showed me six stars. And the image of the seventh, having over and rising sun.” Trickpaw said I’m a voice that carried. “‘Six must become seven.’ It told me. ‘They will light the way and bring fog to the sky.’”

there was a beat of silence and hushed voices rose instantly began to start speculating on what such a vague prophecy could mean.

”do they mean the six clans?” Cranestar asked the young she-cat. “The living clans and Star Clan. Must there be a sixth clan?”

Trickpaw shook her head. “No, they mean cats. Six cats from the clans. They have to follow the rising sun to find one from outside the clans and bring them back here.” She explained.

”Being in a cat from outside the clans?” Silverstar hissed. “That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.” He glared down at Trickpaw. “You’re just an apprentice, why would Star Clan share anything important with you?”

Trickpaw seemed to shrink inside her pelt but Amberleaf leaped up to her apprentice’s defense. “They have shared with even kits before.” She hissed. “They’ve shared with her before. So you’d better listen.”

Larchstar didn’t scold his medicine cat only giving her a slight nod.

”Yes, go Amberleaf.” Shortshadow was working his claws into the hard packed earth.

Jaypaw had to admit the look on her father’s face was priceless. Worth a quarter moon of dawn patrols at least. Silverstar wasn’t used to being challenged by anyone let alone another clan’s medicine cat.

She saw that her brother’s whiskers were twitching in amusement.

”Now that we know this prophecy.” Shatteredstar was speaking now in a harsh raspy meow. “How will we discover which six cats in the clans it is referring to?”

Murmurs of speculation rose up again at that.

”Clearly it means younger cats.” Wolfstar said. “The vision was sent to one. Young warriors, or maybe even more apprentices.” The grey tom swept the gathered cats with his bright eyes.

”Nonsense.” Silverstar spat. “Cats that inexperienced shouldn’t even be leading hunting patrols. I say we search among our senior warriors.”

”We search among all of our cats.” Larchstar reasoned. “And Star Clan will point us to the right ones.”

”I agree.” Cranestar nodded in turn. “The vision still seems in complete. We should give Trickpaw more time to dream with Star Clan.”

”and when more cats are discovered we send messengers to the other clans at once.” Wolfstar suggested.

”Of course.” Shatteredstar twitched her ear. “The clans have been working together like this for generations now. There’s no reason to stop that here because of a new prophecy.”

Silverstar lashed his tail. “We are five clans not one.” He hissed. “Have you all forgotten that?”

”Says the Tom who had kits with a Thunder Clan cat without following the code properly.” Sunblaze hissed under her breath from behind the apprentices.

Jawpaw felt her fur rise along her spine at the Thunder Clan warrior’s words. A cat who would have been her mother’s clan mate… shared a den with her. Sunblaze was young sure but she had also been old enough to have a mate of her own. Thunder Clan cats had come to the Shadow Clan camp after Quickstrike’s death. His killer had still never been found. 
Silverstar had dismissed any accusations put towards Shadow Clan as it being the cause of an animal attack. A fox or a badger.

Sunblaze’s own best friend, Moonwing, had left Thunder Clan to join Sky Clan to be with the cat she loved. Really she shouldn’t have been so judgmental about Half clan relationships.

Ravenpaw didn’t seem too bothered by the words. Jaypaw knew he’d heard it. He had to. He draped his tail over his sister’s shoulders to calm her.

”I wonder who the cats are.” Rowanpaw whispered to Strongpaw.

”One of them is Trickpaw.” The large tom told her. “The dream came to her so it has to be.”

Jaypaw had to agree. It would be a good thing to have a medicine cat, even an apprentice, leading this whole thing.

”Speculating won’t get us anywhere now.” Shatteredstar spoke up over the clammer. “Does anyone have anything else to report?”

”Wind Clan has a new apprentice.” Cranestar spoke up. “Rowanpaw, under the mentorship of Fadefeather.”

”Rowanpaw! Rowanpaw!” The gathered clan cats chanted to the stars.

“About time they made you a mentor.” Moonwing purred to the Wind Clan she-cat.

”Rowanpaw is a good cat, though… I am a bit nervous about training my leader’s kit.” Fadefeather mewed softly.

Ravenpaw whipped his head around at the same time as Jaypaw to stare at a nervous looking Rowanpaw.

”You’re Cranestar’s kit?” Jaypaw gasped.

”Yeah…” Rowanpaw’s pelt rose in embarrassment. 

“Doesn’t that feel… awkward?” Ravenpaw asked her.

”Kinda… but he’s nice and just treats me like anyone else in the clan when it’s everyone.” Rowanpaw mewed. “And he did give me Fadefeather as a mentor. And she’s great.”

”That must be nice.” Ravenpaw muttered. “We got shuck with Hollyflower and Shortshadow.”

”Oh I’m sure they’re not that bad.” Rowan paw purred

”He got stung on the nose by a bee and cancelled a whole day of training.” Ravenpaw said snippily.

”Oh… well… bee stings hurt.” Rowanpaw said awkwardly.

”Not that much.” Jaypaw said. 

“Silverstar didn’t even announce that we’re apprentices now.” Ravenpaw hissed glaring up at their father on the leader’s branch.

”That’s not right.” Rowanpaw agreed.

”That’s fox hearted.” Strongpaw growled under his breath.

”Should we say something?” Gillfin asked.

”No it’ll just have us shifting ticks off the elders for a moon.” Ravenpaw shivered.

”Or stuck doing everyone’s bedding for just as long.” Jaypaw muttered. “I’m still picking moss out of my pelt.”

”My paws still smell like mouse bile.” Ravenpaw wrapped his tail over them self consciously.

”Didn’t you just become apprentices?” Shorthalt asked. “That’s not something lots should be doing.”

”We know.” Ravenpaw hissed. “Try telling that to Silverstar though.” His tail was bristling.

Their new friends all exchanged looks. They all looked concerned for them. Doing apprentice tasks as kits wasn’t something clan cats did.

”That’s horrible. Didn’t you ever get to play?” Rowanpaw asked.

”Some times.” Jaypaw said. “But only with each other.”

”And we got in trouble every time we made ‘too much noise’.” Ravenpaw mimicked their father’s voice mockingly.

A yowl from the Great Oak made them all look up. The leaders were climbing down the tree and the gathering was beginning to break back up into separate their separate clans again.

”Ravenpaw, Jaypaw.” Shortshadow called to them. “Let’s go.”

”See you later.” Rowanpaw mewed after them as they walked up to join their mentors. 

“I-I’m glad to see you’re making friends.” Shortshadow told them. “I-if Rowanpaw is being trained by Fadefeather she’s gotta be a great cat.”

“They’re all friendly cats.” Ravenpaw stated. “Even that big guy.”

”We didn’t get a lot of time to talk to them.” Jaypaw complained.

”You will soon I’m sure.” Shortshadow told them. “You… you know I met all my friends at my first gathering. And we still see each other as often as we can manage.”

Jaypaw thought about that as they walked back to camp and into the apprentice’s den. 
Pinepaw was already asleep in his nest when they pushed through the fern entrance.

”My paws feel like stone…” Ravenpaw flopped into the nest he and Jaypaw were sharing.

”Well… at least our mentors aren’t really early risers.” Jaypaw settled into the nest next to her brother. She rasped her tongue over his ear a few times before burying her nose into his soft black fur. 
They’d always shared a nest ever since they were brought here to Shadow Clan. Even now that they were apprentices they didn’t feel the need to stop.

---

When Jayla’s drifted off she felt her paws rest on cold smooth stone. Her nose was filled with sharp horrible scents. She looked up and was blinded by a bright white light above her. The air was frigid and filled with a quiet persistent buzzing.

She also smelled blood… cat blood. Looking around… her heart dropped. From listening to elder tales she knew that two-legs sometimes kept cats in cages. 
Jaypaw’s heart pounded. She was inside a two-leg den. And the walls were lined with cages.

”Hello…?” She called out tentatively. “Is… is anyone in here?”

slowly she started to peer into the cages. They were empty… until she reached the last one. The bars were marked by an odd white leaf with weird symbols on it. 
Jaypaw gasped. There was a cat inside. White fur. Body pressed flat to the floor of his cage and paws pressed over his face as if to hide. He trembled and whimpered.

Jaypaw flinched along side him as sound broke the silence. out of a gap in the far wall stepped a two-leg, its face in shadow.

---

Jaypaw shot up in her nest feeling Ravenpaw move at the exact same time. Panting… in the darkness they met eyes. Understanding passes through them. It wasn’t the first time they’d shared a dream… it had never been that intense before though.

”A cat… from outside of the clans…” Ravenpaw murmured under his breath.

”We have to tell someone.” Jaypaw nodded. 
her fur was still raised along her spine. The scent of that place had been beyond wrong… and one lone cat being trapped inside. Was this Star Clan trying to tell them who the seventh cat of the prophecy was? Why would they send this dream to her and her brother? Why not just send it to Trickpaw.

Jaypaw couldn’t get the image of that tom out of her head. She’d never seen a cat look so terrified in her life. Were they supposed to rescue him from that two-leg? How could they? Thought haunted her as she and Ravenpaw curled back up in their nest… it wasn’t even dawn yet… as soon as the sun rose they would be telling Specklefur what exactly they’d seen.

Notes:

I’ve been doing some corrections to the allegiances. It will change as more of the plot goes forward.

Chapter 5: Chapter 3

“Ok, slow down and start from the beginning.” Specklefur said closing his eyes as if praying for patience.

Ravenpaw twitched his tail in annoyance. “You’re not listening. We had a dream about some weird two-leg den full of cages.”

”And there was a cat in one of them.” Jaypaw said at once. “He was terrified.”

”And you both dreamed the exact same thing?” Blackfur asked them.

”Yes.” Ravenpaw dug his claws into the dirt floor of the medicine den. “That’s what we told you the first time.”

They’d come to the two medicine cats the moment the sun had peaked into the apprentice’s den. Shortshadow and Hollyflower hadn’t come to find them yet. 

The two Tom’s were now exchanging looks. 

“It could be.” Blackfur said looking at the cat who had been his mentor.

”Silverstar isn’t going to be happy about it if it is.” Specklefur sighed.

”It’s not his choice.” Blackfur pointed out. “It appears Star Clan has spoken. Shadow Clan has its representatives for the prophecy.”

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw looked at each other in excitement. Finally. Something important for them to do. Jaypaw looked the most excited honestly. She wanted so badly for them to prove themselves to their father. Here was their opportunity.

Ravenpaw could understand that… but he only wanted to prove it to the rest of the clan. If the others knew they were worth something then it wouldn’t matter if their father was the biggest fox heart in the forest. At least Darkwhisker was ok. She’d raised them in the nursery when Silverstar had just dropped them there after their mother died. They hadn’t even been allowed to stay for her vigil. 

All four of them peered out of the fern tunnel of the den at the cries of exclamation from outside.

”What in Star Clan’s name…” Specklefur muttered, padding out. “Oh. It’s Amberleaf.”

Ravenpaw curled his tail up for Jaypaw to follow him outside. They saw the Thunderclan medicine cat being escorted by the Dawn patrol. Marshfoot and Palewing flanking her on either side.

”What are you doing here?” Silverstar had emerged from his den in the Great Pine.

”Thunder Clan has its second cat of the prophecy.” Amberleaf meowed. “Larchstar is calling an emergency gathering in two nights to see if the others have found theirs as well.”

“Shadow Clan has.” Blackfur had pushed his way past all of them to greet the dark ginger tabby. “It’s Ravenpaw and Jaypaw. They came to us about a shared vision they had first thing this morning.

Amberleaf blinked in shock and Silverstar’s neck fur bristled. “Is that so?” His voice was like ice.

Ravenpaw felt his own fur begin to rise in anger.

”Well we have two days to see if that is true.” Silverstar said holding his head up high. “We will be at this emergency gathering. You can tell Larchstar that much.”

Amberleaf had turned to look at Ravenpaw and his sister instead. “What was this vision you had?” She asked them.

At once they both began to explain about their dream again. About the strange sharp smell of the two-leg den, the cages… and the terrified cat they had seen inside one of them. 

“Did the cat have white fur?” Amberleaf asked them seriously. 

“yes.” They both said at once.

”He was a white tom.” Jaypaw added.

Amberleaf nodded her eyes set as she looked back to Silverstar. “Trickpaw and Strongpaw both had the same dream. About this same place and cat.” Her look was stern. “These two are the cats Star Clan has chosen to represent Shadow Clan.”

Silverstar looked as though he would have liked nothing more than to claw Amberleaf’s ears off. “Very well.” He muttered. “I will make sure they are prepared.” He turned to the gathering of Shadow Clan warriors. “Hollyflower, Shortshadow.” He barked. “I want Ravenpaw and Jaypaw to start battle training at once. They do not rest until sunset,”

Amberleaf twitched her ears looking at the two of them and at Shortshadow who just shook his head helplessly. “Alright then Silverstar. We will see you and your kits in two nights time.”

”You two escort her back to the border.” Silverstar ordered Marshfoot and Palewing.

The two warriors nodded and went back to flanking the medicine cat. She lashed her tail once. “No need to crowd me. I know the way back to my own camp.” Amberleaf snapped. 

When she was gone Silverstar fixed Ravenpaw and Jaypaw with a fierce look. His eyes like two cold moons. “The two of you will be training until your paws bleed. I will not accept you shaming this clan with any form of incompetence. Is that understood?” 

“Yes father…” Jaypaw had shrunk away her eyes fixed on the ground.

Ravenpaw met their father’s gaze with that same intensity. “Of course. We wouldn’t want to show our Thunder Clan side.”

Jaypaw took in a sharp breath next to him and Silverstar’s eyes hardened like ice.

”One paw out of line, and Star Clan’s choice won’t matter.” He hissed so only the two of them could hear. Then he was stalking off back to his den.

”Come on.” Shortshadow walked up to them with Hollyflower at his side. “We hunt first so you two can at least have something to eat.”

”Thanks.” Ravenpaw muttered with one last glare at his father’s back. 

“You could have gotten us into so much trouble.” Jaypaw hissed at him as they walked out of camp with their mentors.

”I didn’t see anyone else standing up to him.” Ravenpaw muttered pointedly. He saw Shortshadow flinch.

”He’s just going to find some other way to punish us. We weren’t suppose to start battle training yet.” Jaypaw fretted.

”If you’re going to be journeying you’ll need battle skills.” Shortsgadow told them. “This is for the best.”

”Is that why you didn’t stand up to him?” Ravenpaw hissed. “Or because you’re just a little mouse heart.”

”Ravenpaw.” Hollyflower hissed scoldingly.

”What? Just because he went on a journey means it’s okay that he lets his clan leader threaten his own kits in front of the whole clan?” Ravenpaw lashed his tail. “Why does anyone even listen to him at all? What about what he did to Whitecloud? Renaming him after he got poisoned by two-leg water and his pelt turned white.”

The white tom had once been named Dustcloud. He’d had pale brown tabby pelt. Then he’d fallen fully into a puddle polluted by two-legs and had come out with burning eyes and a white pelt.

”Not all leaders are fair.” Hollyflower murmured. “But he is chosen by Star Clan.”

”The Warrior Code allows clans to depose unfair leaders.” Ravenpaw pointed out. “Hawkfeather would make a much better leader than him.”

”It’s not that simple, Ravenpaw.” Shortshadow said. “You’re too young to understand that. Sometimes unfair things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it but live with it.” The small black tom looked sad to admit that. “You can only rise above it and do the best that you can.”

”Now enough of this kind of talk.” Hollyflower said. “Let’s get some hunting done before you start your first battle practice.”

Ravenpaw wanted to argue but a look from his sister made him hold his tongue. Fine, they would hunt. And Ravenpaw would seethe over this. It wasn’t just unfair. It wasn’t right. 

---

Ravenpaw was limping across the tree bridge two days later. During training he’d wrenched his shoulder. He hadn’t at all expected what a strong fighter Shortshadow was. Sometimes it just seemed like the small black tom would vanish before he would flash back out with a blow to knock Ravenpaw right off his paws and into the dirt.

Jaypaw was at least fairing better than he was at their battle training. In fact it seemed to be helping her confidence. That was worth every bruise and aching muscle to Ravenpaw.

At this Gathering only Wolfstar and Yarrowflower were here to represent Sky Clan. The young leader looked more than a little nervous.

”Hey.” Jaypaw prodded Ravenpaw in his ribs. “Look who’s here.”

He looked up to see the cats they’d met at the last gathering.

Shorthalt, Rowanpaw, and Strongpaw. Trickpaw was sitting with the other Medicine cats.

”Good now we can begin.” Larchstar dipped his head to Silverstar. 

“Yes.” Shatteredstar nodded. “It appears Star Clan wishes these young cats to journey to this two-leg den, and seek out the cat in their visions.” The old she-cat looked down at Trickpaw.

The small white cat nodded. “Yes, following the rising sun to a large two-leg place.” She said sounding a bit more confident now. “They clearly want us to rescue him from the two-legs there and bring him to Sky Clan.”

”Sky Clan already has so much Kittypet blood he’ll fit right in.” Silverstar sneered. 

Wolfstar bristled. “If this cat is a capable one I will gladly bring him into my clan and have him trained as a warrior.” He hissed. “It doesn’t sound like he’s living the soft life of a kittypet at all.”

”He will be welcomed.” Yarrowflower agreed. “And if Star Clan wishes that he becomes a medicine cat I will be glad to train him in that.”

“And We’re sure these are the cats Star Clan intends to retrieve this cat?” Silverstar swept the one new warrior and five apprentices with his cold silver eyes.

”Yes.” Trickpaw spoke up at once. “They all had the same dream that I did.” She was looking at Strongpaw. “Star Clan wants us to do this.”

”Even you can’t disagree with Star Clan.” Shatteredstar muttered looking slightly smug. “Shadow Clan gets two cats to represent them after all.”

Silverstar’s neck fur bristled. “They are all so inexperienced. Only one of them is a warrior and he’s hardly had his name for a half moon.”

Shorthalt’s neck fur bristled and his lifted to stick up straight like a stick. 

“Star Clan has spoken.” Twilightstep hissed. “Now isn’t a time to argue about experience. It’s a time to prepare these cats for what they might face out there.”

”Right.” Cranestar agreed. “If they have to enter a two-leg place they need to know how to avoid them. Not just that, but their monsters and dogs as well.”

”Their mentors can handle that.” Silverstar stated. “I already have Jaypaw and Ravenpaw doing advanced Skill training.”

“that’s all well and good.” Brightweave meowed pointedly. “But evasion is just as important as battle training in unfamiliar territory. It’s not advisable to fight a two-leg.”

The others all seemed to agree with that. Silverstar at the very least did not argue with it.

”Very well.” He said coldly.

”I do have a suggestion.” Wolfstar said. “There are cars in the clans who have taken a journey like this before. Why don’t they train these cats for a few days before they set out?”

”Shortshadow is already Ravenpaw’s mentor.” Silverstar said. 

“Then let him train Jaypaw as well.” Cranestar said. “It makes sense.”

”I could send Moonwing to Shadow Clan to-“ Wolfstar was cut off by a hiss from Silverstar. 

“No clan swapping two-leg place cat will enter my camp!” He spat.

Sunblaze bristled next to Strongpaw. “Moonwing is an honorable warrior. And she knows two-leg places well. Her training would be an asset.” 
Cries of agreement rose up from not just the friends of the she-cat in question but the others as well. Even Hawkfeather spoke up in her defense against her leader.

”It just makes sense Silverstar.” She meowed reasonably.

The Shadow clan leader held his ground… 

For all of a few heartbeats before he hissed a, “very well.” He then flicked his tail and leapt down from the leader’s branch to slit her down the trunk of the Great Oak. “Send her to my camp at first light. Shadow Clan begins training early.” He beckoned the other cats of his clan with his tail.

Reluctantly Ravenpaw and Jaypaw fell in line. They hadn’t even had the chance to speak with the cats they were going on this mission with. He again reflected on how much better their lives in Shadow Clan would be if their father was not the clan leader.

Darkwhisker greeted them at the end of the thorn tunnel. “How did it go?” She purred, touching her nose to each of their cheeks at once. Her belly was still heavy with kits. She’d be delivering any day now. Ravenpaw wished that they could be here to welcome their half siblings into the world. He couldn’t wait to teach them the proper hunter’s crouch.

”Moonwing will be coming to camp to help train them for the journey.” Silverstar said in that level voice he always used with his mate.

”She knows two-leg places well.” Darkwhisker nodded. “It’s a logical choice.” She looked at Jaypaw and Ravenpaw. “The two of you suddenly look so grown up.” She purred proudly. “You’ll do wonderfully I just know it.”

Ravenpaw saw the look Silverstar cast them before he made his way over to his den.

”Thank you Darkwhisker.” Jaypaw said quietly once their father was out of earshot.

”You will make the clan proud.” She told them both. 

Her words for encouragement followed them back to their nest that night. They’d only really ever heard that from her. Trying so hard to be the mother that Ravenclaw and his sister lacked. It warmed their hearts and made them sad all at once.

Ravenpaw and Jaypaw longed for Feathercloud’s soft fur and the warm scent of the Thunder Clan nursery more than anything. Those few precious memories that seemed to be fading by the day… 

why… 

why hadn’t they been allowed to grow up in their mother’s clan? Even after her death… was Silverstar’s pride so strong he couldn’t stand for another clan to raise his kits? No matter how unwanted they were? Why even get with a Thunder Clan cat in the first place?

Those thoughts Kept Ravenpaw awake long after Jaypaw had drifted off. 

It was beyond unfair. It was cruel.

Chapter 6: Chapter 4

“Are you sure about this?” Rowanpaw gazed out across the acrid smelling stretch of pebbly ground that she and her mentor were crutches beside. Already they’d been sprayed by the horrible smelling fumes coming off a passing monster.

”Yes.” Fadefeather said firmly. “You’re going to be crossing many of these on your journey. You need to know how to cross them. Listen.” She angled her ears towards the thunder path.

A deep rumbling trembled through the ground under their paws and soon another gust of wind rolled over them as another monster passed.

”Oh.” Rowan paw raised her tail. “That’s how you know when one is coming.”

Fadefeather nodded. “Yes, but you also need to use your eyes as well to judge distance.” She told her. “The vibrations alone make that hard to discern. You always need to look both ways down the path before you start to cross. The dappled she-cat stood and looked down the thunder path in both directions. Then she crouched and sprung, beginning to streak across the thunder path in a brown blur. 
Rowanpaw held her breath until she saw her mentor reach the other side. Fadefeather looked at her expectantly after that.

Okay… her turn. Rowanpaw crouched down at the edge of the path ready to spring. She listened hard for any of that distinct rumbling. There was none. She looked down both sides of the path several times before she felt certain there was nothing. Then Rowanpaw sprang. The feeling of the thunder path under her paws was rough and it cut into her pads like sharp rocks. It only made her stumble a little but she dashed across the path as fast as she was able. She felt her heart skip a beat when she reached the other side and she felt that rumbling again. 

“Well done.” Fadefeather meowed running her tail over Rowanpaw’s ruffled fur. “Speed is very important when crossing these paths even if you think the way is clear. Better safe than sorry.”

Rowanpaw felt her paws shake. “There’s got to be an easier way to do this.” She took in a few deep breaths.

“That’s the next lesson.” Fadefeather nodded. “Alternate ways of crossing if you can find them are valuable,” she motioned for Rowanpaw to follow her with her tail.

Rowanpaw did so following her mentor down the this side of the thunder path. They jumped down into a small dip along side the path. Her eyes widened. There was a small tunnel leading under the thunder path, she could even see light on the other side. 

“Some thunder paths have tunnels like this.” Faded rather explained. “They make crossing them much easier if you’re able to find them.”

”How hard are they to find?” Rowanpaw asked hoping that she and the other questing cats could just use these instead of having to cross a ton of thunder paths and risk getting hit by monsters.

”Some harder than others.” Fadefeather said. “And some may be blocked by dirt and debris. It’s best that you know how to cross just in case you can’t find one of these or they are blocked.”

Rowanpaw nodded and followed her mentor through the thunder path tunnel back to the Wind Clan side. She couldn’t wait to get the thunder path stink out of her fur.

The last few days had been nothing but training for this journey. Sometimes they would even train with Lightningtail, another cat who’d made the last big prophecy journey alongside Fadefeather and the others.

”I suggest you stick near Thunder paths on your journey.” Fadefeather said on their way back to camp. “Sooner or later they all lead to a two-leg place.”

”Did you find Moonwing in a two-leg place?” Rowanpaw asked.

”No.” Fadefeather shook her head. “But she came to Thunder Clan from one. Her father controlled many of the cars there. Most of which were his own kits and other kin,”

”That’s horrible.” Rowanpaw felt the fur on her spine raise. The white she-cat was covered in horrible scars. “Are all two-leg place cats like that?”

”Im sure you’ll meet more kittypets than rogues.” Faded rather assured her. But even some of them can be dangerous.”

”Dangerous kittypets?” Rowanpaw asked disbelieving. 

Fadefeather let out an amused purr. “Indeed. They can be just as protective of their territory as we are.”

”And they’re larger,” Lightningtail had joined them at the camp entrance, his whiskers twitching in amusement. “Careful that you don’t let them sit on top of you.”

”Lightningtail.” Fadefeater swiped her tail over her friend’s ear. “This is serious.”

”I know. Don’t you remember that kittypet who rolled over top of Shortshadow? He was nearly twice the little tom’s size,” Lightningtail purred in laughter.

Fadefeather rolled her eyes. “Yes kittypets can be large. But that also makes them slow.”

Rowanpaw nodded in understanding. “I can be fast.” She stated firmly.

”Of course.” Cranestar’s mew joined them and Rowanpaw purred seeing her father. He padded over and gave her a few gentle licks on to top of her head. “You can outrun any kittypet I’m sure.”

”I would be very shocked if she couldn’t.” Fadefeather praised.

Cranestar smiled proudly at his kit and Rowanpaw stood up straighter under her father and clan leader’s gaze. She had to make him proud of nothing else. After her mother Redfeather had gone missing and her spirit appeared in Star Clan he hadn’t been the same. It was good to see him smile like this again.

”Get something to eat.” Fadefeather told her nudging Rowanpaw toward the fresh kill pile. “You did well today.”

Rowanpaw did feel very hungry and she was glad for the excuse to go and pick out a nice plump meadow vole.

Lakepaw and Bearpaw were already settled by their den with their own picks from the pile. The two of them weren’t exactly close to Rowanpaw. Even though they were her den mates they were much older than her, practically warriors already. It didn’t surprise her that they weren’t talking to her, Lakepaw at the very least acknowledged her with a nod.

Rowanpaw felt a hollow place in her gut. What if she didn’t get along with the other cats she was going on the quest with? She didn’t think she’d know how to handle that. She already felt like an outsider in her own den. The other apprentices didn’t see her as an equal because she was their leader’s kit. 
The vole didn’t taste as good as she’d thought with those bitter thoughts in her head. It just wasn’t fair. She was just like any other cat, wasn’t she?

Fadefeather didn’t have a position of power in the clan. If Cranestar had wanted to show preference would he have made her Leafclaw’s apprentice?

The Wind Clan deputy was a strong and powerful warrior despite her burned face and bad eye. Cranestar had chosen her because of how clever she was after all. But no, Rowanpaw had been given to Fadefeather. A good warrior but a young one, who had strong friendships with cats from all the other clans. Many cats in their clan questioned her and Lightningtail’s loyalty because of that. Would they do the same to Rowanpaw if she became too close to the other questing cats?

Rowanpaw had to force down the last mouthful of her vole and she picked up the bones to go bury them outside of the camp like she’d been taught.
Her stomach felt heavy with anxiety. The next sunrise she would be meeting the other apprentices for them to start their journey.

She thought of the white tom from her vision. The vision all of them had shared. He’d looked so very scared and she couldn’t blame him. That place looked awful. And the two-leg that had loomed over them had looked so sinister. It’s face in shadow and big paws covered in something blue and foul smelling. The smells alone made Rowanpaw’s pelt crawl.

At the very least she would be happy to help this cat. They were going to save him after all. Those thoughts comforted her enough to curl up in her nest of heather and sleep. 

---

The sun was barely peaking over the hills of the moor when Cranestar and Leafclaw were leading the way down to the lakeshore.

”The other clans had better be on time.” Leafclaw muttered. 

“I’m sure that won’t be an issue.” Cranestar told his deputy. He inclined his muzzle to the shore. “Look there. They’re the ones waiting for us it seems.”

Leafclaw hissed under her breath but kept her mouth shut.

The other clans and their questing cats were already there. Moonwing being the only representative of Sky Clan as they had no cat for the prophecy yet.

Rowanpaw purred in excitement seeing the other apprentices. Jaypaw, Ravenpaw, Trickpaw, and Strongpaw. The only warrior on their quest being Shorthalt.

”Good,” Shatteredstar raised her tail. “Now that Wind Clan is here they can prepare to set off.”

”I have traveling herbs here for everyone.” Trickpaw spoke up, prodding the leaf wraps on the ground with her paw.

”Go ahead and eat.” Larchstar told them you should set off while the sun is still rising.

Go off into the rising sun… right. Rowanpaw lowered her head and began to lick up the bitter tasting plants.

”This stuff is gross.” Strongpaw muttered swiping his tongue over his jaws to try and rid his mouth of the taste.

Silverstar’s neck fur bristled at the large tom’s complaints but he did not speak until they’d all finished the herbs. “It’s time for all of you to set off now.” He said briskly. “The sooner you leave the sooner you can return.”

Ravepaw gave his leader a dirty look but didn’t speak. He was sticking closer to his sister almost protectively. Their pelts were ruffled and their eyes tired as if they hadn’t slept much of at all.

”Yes.” Larchstar agreed. “May Star Clan light your path, all of you.”

Clan mates and kin alike gave their own farewells. Noses touched to ears and cheeks. Ears were licked and soft purrs were exchanged. Only the Shadow Clan cats did not share this parting affection. Rowanpaw felt a pang in her heart for Jaypaw and Ravenpaw. They seemed completely happy to be leaving their clan for at least a little while.

”Enough stalling.” Leafclaw said. “You don’t know if you’re on a time limit to save this cat or not.”

“She is right.” Shatteredstar agreed. “It is time for you to begin your journey,”

”Be careful all of you.” Cranestar gave Rowanpaw one last lick on her ear. “Come back safe…” he whispered.

Rowanpaw nodded and pressed her muzzle into his fur hopefully not for the last time. She hoped.

She padded over to where the other cats were now separate from their clan mates.

”Well, time to set off.” Shorthalt said raising his stumpy tail.

”Into the unknown.” Ravenpaw agreed, being the first to start forward. Jaypaw was right at his side at once and the others all followed. 

Walking into the sunrise felt like they were leaving everything they knew behind. Rowanpaw knew they were. All they’d known was the land around the lake. The larger world was full of dangers they’d only ever heard of.

It was so big and Rowanpaw had never felt so small under this familiar open sky.

Chapter 7: Chapter 5

Even as sunrise passed into sun high excitement and nerves were still fizzing under Trickpaw’s pelt. Ravenpaw had suggested that they follow the thunder path and they had been largely in awkward silence. 

“Ugh…” Shorthalt groaned shaking one hind paw as he walk. “My paws feel like they’ll fall off. Can’t we stop for a moment?”

”We could be on a time limit.” Rowanpaw spoke up. “That cat could be hurting.”

”So we’re just not gonna stop?” Shorthalt questioned. “That’s impossible. We have to eat and sleep.”

”We could stop to hunt.” Ravenpaw suggested.

”I could eat.” Strongpaw swipe his tongue over his jaws in anticipation.

“Now would be a good time for it.” Jaypaw agreed.

”Alright but we shouldn’t stray too far from the thunder path.” Trickpaw paused with everyone.

”Great forest prey only.” Shorthalt seemed to deflate slightly.

”Oh suck it up.” Ravenpaw rolled his eyes. “Eating a mouse won’t kill you, fish breath.”

”So original,” Shorthalt‘A whiskers twitched in amusement. “Good luck finding a frog on this dry ground.” And with that the River Clan warrior was pushing his way into the bushes.

”Joke’s on him.” Ravenpaw purred. “I don’t even like frogs.” She swiped his tongue over his jaws. “I’d kill for a sparrow right now though.”

”I could try to catch us all a rabbit to share.” Rowanpaw suggested.

”You could try but now isn’t really a time to be picky.” Trickpaw was just happy that there didn’t seem to be any real animosity between the questing cats. Just awkward unfamiliarity. 

“We should all try to hunt.” Jaypaw said. “We’ll have better luck that way.”

”I’ll take Trickpaw with me.” Strongpaw mewed with a smile.

That made her nervous. Sure she’d learned to gather herbs and track the scents through the forest, but she’d never learned to hunt. Medicine cats didn’t hunt. Amberleaf hadn’t even brought it up. In her short time living in the medicine den Sunblaze had been the one bringing them bits of fresh kill. She knew they two of them were kin and that they’re grown up together.

”It’ll be great.” Strongpaw assured her. “Come on. I’ll show you what to do.”

Trickpaw nodded and looked to the others. “Alright, we’ll meet at that holly bush over there when we’ve got some prey.”

”Sounds like a plan.” Jaypaw and Ravenpaw said together.

”See you soon.” Rowanpaw purred padding off into the grass.

Trickpaw followed Strongpaw into the undergrowth. “Watch this.” He dropped into a hunter’s crouch and Trickpaw did her best to copy him. The big tom purred deeply in his chest. “Great.” He angled his ears toward some bushes. “I smell some mice over there, you stay here and I’ll try to chance them towards you. When they get close you pounce.”

”Yeah, I can do that.” Trickpaw nodded and crouched down to slightly damp earth. She fought to hold her tail still and not disturb any leaves. Her white pelt stuck out horribly against all the mottled browns and greens of the forest.

Strongpaw dropped back into his crouch and stalked forward, shockingly silent for such a large cat. He’d been so clumsy when they were kits in the nursery and now he was stepping surely on his paws after a half moon of training. It was incredible progress and Trickpaw felt a surge of pride in her friend. He was going to be a great warrior someday very soon.
It didn’t take long at all for her to spot the mouse shooting out from under the bush. Trickpaw’s claws itched and she waited until it was almost at her paws before striking. Its squeak of terror was cut off by her quick bite to the neck.

”That was great!” Strongpaw purred as he padded up to her.

Trickpaw turned her head up to the sky. “Thank you Star Clan for this prey.” She purred, pride blooming in her chest.

”I knew you could do it, buddies.” Strongpaw butted her shoulder with his large head and she playfully batted her paw over his ears.

”You’re the one who chafed it to me.” Trickpaw mewed.

”But you killed it. It was great.” Strongpaw patted the mouse with his paw. “This is your mouse.” He stated firmly.

”Alright. Thanks.” Trickpaw purred proudly.

it didn’t take long at all for Strongpaw to catch a mouse of his own and they were padding back to the place they decided to meet the others. Rowanpaw and Shorthalt were already waiting under the holly bush with a sparrow and vole respectively.

”Nice catches.” Rowanpaw praised seeing their mice.

”Thanks. Strongpaw helped me with mine.” Trickpaw set her mouse down, her mouth watering at its warm, musky scent.

”It was Trickpaw’s kill.” The big tom mewed proudly, his eyes glowing.

”Ravenpaw and Jaypaw still aren’t back yet.” Rowanpaw Reported.

”maybe they’re having trouble.” Trickpaw said.

”don’t know how.” Shorthalt patted his vole. “The prey is practically running into our paws here.” He clearly couldn’t wait to start eating.

”We’re here.” Ravenpaw’s head pushed from a near by clump of ferns. His voice muffled by the mouse in his jaws.

”We just went a little further out is all.” Jaypaw added being right behind her littermate. She had a black bird dangling by its wing.

”Glad we all had good luck.” Trickpaw purred as they all settled under the bush.

”Here.” Rowanpaw pushed her sparrow over to Ravenpaw. “You said you’d like to have one so… we can trade.”

Ravenpaw looked a little taken aback but he nodded and pushed his mouse over to Rowanpaw. “Uh… Thanks,” he seemed so unused to such a simple show of kindness.

Jaypaw’s whiskers twitched and she swished her tail over her brother’s ears as she tucked into her black bird.

They all fell into a companionable silence as they ate. Once the last scraps of meat were gone off the bones they clawed at the loose earth to make a hole to bury them all in. Even if this wasn’t a clan camp it wouldn’t be proper to leave them lying around.

”Off we go again I guess.” Shorthalt said stretching out his body.

”We’ll stop again once the sun starts to set.” Trickpaw assured him.

”How will we know when we’ve reached the right place?” Jaypaw asked, looking a bit unsure.

”Star Clan will guide us to the right one.” Trickpaw assured her. She hoped. She hadn’t had another vision since the one about the white tom. She hoped that she’d have one sooner rather than later.

Now as they walked they were all chatting. About their training mostly. Rowanpaw was wondering if it was hard to learn to fish. Ravenpaw and Jaypaw were explaining to Strongpaw that not all Shadow Clan cats enjoyed eating frogs and lizards.

”They’re too cold.” Ravenpaw said.

”And slimy.” Jaypaw added looking as if thinking about it made her recall holding one in her mouth.

”What do they taste like?” Strongpaw asked.

”Kind of like birds I guess.” Ravenpaw shrugged. “You can try to catch one while we’re out here and try it for yourself big guy.” 
The two Shadow Clan cats seemed to have gotten more and more comfortable with the farther they went from clan territory.

Trickpaw remembered how Strongpaw had told her about meeting them. How tense they’d been. How they’d said they’d been made to do apprentice chores as kits and only really played with each other when they’d been allowed the time. It made an uncomfortable knot tighten in her belly. Silverstar seemed like a strict leader but… that didn’t sit right with her. Kits shouldn’t be treated like that.

”Maybe I’ll catch some fish for all of you to try.” Shorthalt meowed. “Trust me, it’s the best prey by the lake.”

”I’ll take your word for it.” Jaypaw rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to get my paws wet every time I go hunting thank you very much.”

”Suit yourself.” Shorthalt purred. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

They all shared a purr at the expression on Jaypaw’s face.

Soon enough the sun was setting and the odd silver trees by the thunder path began to glow at their tops with an odd yellow light. 
“We should stop and find a place to bed down for the night.” Ravenpaw said.

”And hunt again.” Strongpaw added.

”Agreed.” Trickpaw said. “I’ll stay behind this time and fix us some nests to sleep in.”

”Sounds good.” Shorthalt nodded.

They found a good sheltered place under a honeysuckle bush. While the others fanned out to hunt, Trickpaw gathered stems of bracken, fern and what little moss she could find and started to weave together nest for herself and her companions.

Slowly they began to trickle back with their jaws full of prey. Shorthalt it seemed had managed to find a pond and was proudly holding a fish in his jaws. Strongpaw had come back with two voles and he dropped one at Trickpaw’s paws, purring.

”Thanks buddies.” She mewed settling beside him to eat.

”The nests look great.” Rowanpaw opened her jaws in  a huge yawn. “I can’t wait to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

”I think we all are.” Jaypaw was taking slow sleepy bites of her mouse.

”We’re really on our way now.” Shorthalt said. “Nothing really smells familiar anymore.”

”It’s only been a day.” Ravenpaw pointed out. “We can’t be nearly that far already.”

”It’s still further than any of us have ever gone before.” Rowanpaw pointed out, a shiver of nervousness seeming to pass through her dark ginger pelt.

”We have Star Clan to guide us.” Trickpaw mewed. “We’ll know when we’re on the right track.”

”I hope you’re right about that.” Jaypaw said. “I’d hate to get lost in a two-leg place after everything Moonwing and Shortshadow told us about them.”

”Moonwing is from a two-leg place isn’t she?” Shorthalt asked. “Strange the leaders didn’t ask her to just come with us to be guide.”

”She said she wouldn’t.” Ravenpaw said. “Not so soon after loosing the litter of kits she’d been carrying.”

”That must have been so hard on her.” Rowanpaw mewed quietly.

”She’s a strong cat.” Jaypaw said. “And a great fighter. She showed us some amazing moves while she was in Shadow Clan to help train us.”

“Fadefeather had Lightningtail help train me a bit too.” Rowanpaw said. “They went on the same journey Moonwing and Shortshadow did.”

Strongpaw stretched out his claws and yawned hugely. “I’m gonna go sleep.” He said standing up to go to the larger nest Trickpaw had made for them both.

”I have to agree with the big guy.” Shorthalt meowed and moved to his own nest after burying his prey bones.

They all silently agreed that now was a good time to go to sleep. Trickpaw curled up in the nest next to Strongpaw and watched as Jaypaw and Ravenpaw did the same with each other. It was clear how close they were and that for the longest time they’d only ever been able to rely on each other. Trickpaw hoped that they’d be able to trust the rest of the group soon. They all had to learn to trust each other on this journey.

Trickpaw pressed her muzzle into Strongpaw’s thick fur and closed her eyes, already starting to drift off into sleep.

---

The air around her was so cold. Like a constant breeze in leafbare. Trickpaw opened her eyes and stared around in fight. The ground felt like smooth, cold stone. She recognized the lights and sharp scents in the air. This was the odd two-leg den.

”Hello?” She called out into the naturally quiet passage that stretched out before her. She couldn’t see the cages this time. There was no sign of the white tom from her last dream. Slowly Trickpaw began to walk forward, keeping her head low and ears pricked for any sound of cats. 

Her fur bristled when she heard the voices of two-legs. One sounded female and soft. The other male and… her ears swiveled forward. She knew that sound. Heavy congestion. The kind that would choke a cat’s lungs and make breathing painful. Was this two-leg sick?
Trickpaw sniffed the air. Under the sharp and pungent smells she caught the scent of sickness. Fever… it wasn’t the same as when a clan mate was sick but it was close enough. She felt an absurd pang of sympathy for this two-leg even if she could t see him.

Trickpaw paused catching something odd on the left wall. Against the snow white surface was a dark blue symbol. Parts of it she couldn’t recognize but there was one she could. Dogs. Or rather one dog with tree heads. It was simplified and odd but there was not mistaking the shape of the muzzles.
“A dog with three heads…?” She breathed. Was this Star Clan showing her what to look for on this journey?

”No!” She whipped around at the screech of terror that sounded from behind her. A two-leg was walking towards her.

Its face was in shadow and in its paws was a small cage.

Inside, his paws scrambling at the silver mesh at the front of it was that white tom. His eyes were blue… they were also stretched as wide as they could go. Filled with such a primal terror as he fought in vain to escape.

The two-leg stepped right over Trickpaw as if she weren’t there.

”Stop!” The Tom was still crying out in fear. “I don’t want to! It hurts! It hurts!”

Trickpaw’s heart clinched in sorrow for him. The two-leg had taken him through a gap in the wall but she could still hear his cries of terror. Then… they turned to screeches of pain.

---

Trickpaw’s eyes shot open and for a moment she was unsure where she was. Strongpaw was a deep sleeper so she pressed her muzzle deeper into his thick fur.

A three headed dog… they had to look for that symbol and find it as quickly as possible. The cat they were looking for was in pain. These two-legs were hurting him.

Star Clan help him. Trickpaw prayed, looking up at the stars through the branches of the honeysuckle bush. Let us get to him soon… 

Chapter 8: Chapter 6

The next few days of travel more or less bled together for Jaypaw. They would wake, turn themselves down the thunder path towards the sunrise and walk. Always keeping the path in sight. Around sun high they would stop to hunt. On the third day Rowanpaw had even managed to chase down a large rabbit that they all happily shared. Then as night fell they would search for a sheltered spot. One of them would stay behind to scrape together nests for them all while the others hunted.

It wasn’t until the sixth day that things started to change. 

They came across their first set of two-leg dens. Large structures made of stone and cut wood. The borders of their gardens surrounded by perfectly straight fences, stone walls, and odd shiny mesh barriers. The strong sweet scents of flowers were in the air. But that didn’t nearly cover up the scents of two-legs, their monsters and their dogs.

Jaypaw felt the fur along her spine rise at the sound of a dog barking. It was a fair distance away, but just to hear it set every hair in her pelt on edge.

”This two-leg place is two small.” Trickpaw said sniffing the air.

”Seems plenty big to me.” Shorthalt muttered looking at their surroundings with a bit of distain. “We’re looking for a symbol of a three headed dog right?”

”Yes.” The small white cat still seemed unnerved by her last vision. She’d told them about it and Jaypaw couldn’t blame her. She would have hated to be trapped inside that cold, bright two-leg den with its sharp scents and stone floors.

“Can’t we look for it here though?” Ravenpaw asked. “I mean what if we walk right past it and never know?”

”Maybe we should asked the cats here.” Rowanpaw suggested.

”Is that a good idea?” Shorthalt asked. “They won’t be clan cats and this is their territory.”

”And they’ll be kittypets.” Strongpaw added.

”Exactly.” Shorthalt nodded in agreement.

”It’s worth a shot though.” Trickpaw mewed. “And look.” She flecked her tail to the far side of the two-leg place. “There’s a horse-place over there. Like the one at the lake. There has to be cats there.”

”Two-legs keep them there to hunt mice for them.” Rowanpaw nodded. “And the ones by the lake are really friendly.”

”Doesn’t mean these ones will.” Jaypaw worked her claws into the earth nervously.

”So?” Strongpaw asked. “We’re clan cats. We can look after ourselves if it goes bad.”

”I guess so.” Jaypaw sighed. 
Trickpaw and Rowanpaw were already walking towards the horse-place so the rest of them had to follow.

The scents of horses was certainly a relief after the smells of the two-leg place. The animals were warm and strongly musky. They smelled of dried grass and something sweet like honey. And Jaypaw could definitely pick up the smells of cats here. 

“There’s more than one.” She told the group.

”How many?” Ravenpaw asked her, his pelt nearly brushing hers.

Jaypaw leaned down and took another sniff at the path they were on. She opened her mouth and let the scents bathe her tongue and wash over her scent glands. “Three.” She said after a few moments. “Two toms and a she-cat.”

They were standing just under the border fence leading to the horse-place when they heard the deep amused purr from above them. “Impressive.” They all looked up at the sound of the voice. Standing on the top of the fence was an old tortoiseshell she-cat with a stumpy tail. “You got it right.”

Ravenpaw began to bristle caught completely off guard by being snuck up on.

”I’ve never seen any of you around these parts.” The she-cat said. “Are you young ones lost?”

”Well kinda, but not really.” Rowanpaw said.

”We’re looking for something.” Trickpaw added. “And we were hoping you might help us find it.”

The she-cat blinked her green eyes at them. “Well I can certainly try.” She said twitching her ears. “Come on. We’ve got plenty of room and it’s getting late. Come have a mouse and rest here.” She jumped down on the other side of the fence.

Exchanging looks they all seemed to shrug. If this was a trap the six of them could hopefully take on three cats long enough to at least be able to retreat.

”Prowl! Leo!” The she-cat yowled as they followed her. “We’ve got guests start hunting!”

”Oh we can hunt for ourselves.” Jaypaw meowed.

”Nonsense.” The old cat said. “You’re guests. We hunt for you.” She purred. “I’m Lucky by the way.”

”Wow that’s a lot of cats.” A brown tabby and white tom poked his head out from a gap in the barn wall to stare at them with wide green eyes.

“I’ll say.” A third nearly identical tom popped his head out right next to the first.

”Holy similar.” Shorthalt purred in amusement, he looked at Jaypaw and Ravenpaw. “And I thought you two looked alike.”

”We don’t look that alike.” Ravenpaw rolled his eyes in annoyance.

”Who are you?” The first tom padded up to them after squeezing his way out of the gap the rest of the way. “I’m Prowl. This is my brother Leo.” He flicked his tail at the other tom with a purr.

”I’m Trickpaw.” The small white medicine cat stepped forward for the group as a whole. “This is Strongpaw, Rowanpaw, Jaypaw, Ravenpaw, and Shorthalt.”

”That’s a lot of paws.” Leo purred, seeming amused. “What are you doing here?”

”No.” Lucky cut in, clicking her tongue. “Food first, then business.” The old cat insisted. “Inside all of you. Make yourselves at home while we rustle up some mice.” She gestured with a paw to the gap in the wall.

The clan cats all squeezed their way inside. The smell of dried grass was much stronger inside the barn. It was piled in the corners. On a few platforms were some musty smelling two-leg pelts and kittypet beds showing where the barn cats made their nests. 

“Let’s make our nests from this.” Trickpaw pawed at the dried grass. “It feels nice and springy.”

”And it smells good.” Rowanpaw agreed, taking a big long inhale of the stuff and letting out a sigh of contentment. Jaypaw figured it must remind the Wind Clan cat of the Moreland.

Together she and Ravenpaw shaped up a nest for themselves. They’d all been building their nests closer and closer to each other over the nights that passed together. The nights were becoming slightly chilled and the extra warmth was welcome without the insulation of a clan den to protect them. Their scents were beginning to mingle as well.

Jaypaw couldn’t remember feeling this at ease with any cats other than her brother. But these cats… they didn’t have any high expectation of them. There was no fear of punishment if they made a mistake. She’d noticed Ravenpaw had also begun to relax around the others. Particularly around Rowanpaw. That gesture of the sparrow had greatly softened him towards the Wind Clan she-cat. 
Jaypaw wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about that… but it warmed her to hear her brother purr with laughter with not just Rowanpaw, but with Strongpaw and Shorthalt. 
They’d all begun to hunt in alternate pairs as well. Ravenpaw had even come back with a fish the night before after going to hunt with Shorthalt. To Jaypaw’s shock, Her brother had even eaten it too. He didn’t seem to have hated it either.

”And we’re back.” Prowl was the first to push his way back into the inner barn. His mew was muffled by the three mice dangling by their tails in his jaws.

”Hope you’re hungry.” Leo padded in right after his littermate.

”Starving.” Strongpaw sat up in his nest, licking his jaws eagerly.

”Thank you for this.” Trickpaw dipped her head with respect to Lucky as the old cat walked in behind the two young toms.

”It’s no trouble.” Lucky purred. “Eat up now. Then you can ask as many questions as you wish.”

The mice were passed out to each cat and they all bent their heads to eat in a comfortable silence. The mouse tasted very good. Sweeter than the mice that could be caught on Shadow Clan territory in Jaypaw’s opinion. She couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with the sweet smelling dry grass and the other sweet things that the horses seemed to eat.

When the last morsels were gone she lifted her head again. Everyone was cleaning up the last scraps of their own meals as well.

Prowl was licking a few scraps off his whiskers. “So, what does bring you this way?” He asked them looking at Trickpaw. “I can’t say we’ve ever really seen cats like you before. Or heard cats with your sort of names.”

”We’re looking for something.” Trickpaw said. “It’s a bit complicated but.” She drew herself up proudly. “We’re on an important mission to find a very special cat.”

”What kind of cat?” Lucky asked her.

”A white tom with blue eyes.” Trickpaw said. “He’s being held prisoner in a bright two-leg den, that smells very sharp.”

”It’s also full of cages.” Jaypaw added.

The three barn cats all exchanged looks.
“That sounds like a vet.” Leo said.

”Or a shelter.” Prowl said. “Like where we were born.”

Lucky nodded. “Do you know what the outside of this place looks like?” She asked Trickpaw.

”Well… no…” Trickpaw shook her head. “But I saw a symbol that should help us find it. It looks like a dog with three heads.”

Prowl and Leo both began to bristle. One with fear the other with anger.

”That place?” Leo spat. “You do not want to go there trust me.” His tail was lashing in anger.

”It’s horrible there…” Prowl had lowered himself down against the dusty floor of the barn. His ears pulled back in fear.

”You’ve been there?” Jaypaw asked looking at the two toms in interest.

”Yes.” Leo sniffed in disgust. “When we were kits we lived in a shelter. It’s where cats stay until two-legs pick them out to bring them home. We and our littermates… Beatrice and Baxter… we thought we were going to a good happy home…” 

“But it was cold…” Prowl murmured. “And the two-legs weren’t nice… they poked and prodded us with horrible things that made us burn under our skins.”

”There were other cats there too.” Leo continued, laying his tail over his brother‘s shoulders. “Two were mates… we think they’d been kittypets before. The she-cat’s fur was very soft.”

”Fredrick and Johana…” Prowl mewed fretfully. “She… she was expecting kits when we were set out of that place.”

”Set out.” Leo scoffed. “We were thrown out like two-leg rubbish.” Leo drew his lips back in a snarl.

”Easy now.” Lucky gave both Toms a few soft licks over their ears. “You’re safe. You found your way here.”

”They dropped us off a bridge!” Prowl wailed into the old she-cat’s fur. he trembled against his brother and Lucky.

”I’m sorry that happened to you.” Trickpaw said quietly. “But we need to find that place and soon.”

Leo nodded looking grim. “You’re going to regret that.” He said. “But if you follow the Thunder path out of this small area you’ll find it. It’s a large grey building. That symbol is set on a marker right in front of it. Dark blue on white.”

“Thank you. For everything.” Trickpaw dipped her head to the tom.

”We’ll try to help any other cats there get out too.” Rowanpaw added and the others all nodded in agreement.

”There’s one cat there… she’s evil.” Leo dug his claws into the dusty ground. “Her name is Anna. And she helps the two-legs. And she’s… smart. Scarily smart.”

”don’t trust the cat walking free, got it.” Shorthalt nodded. 

“Is there a way in?” Ravenpaw asked. 

“The front doors.” Leo nodded. If you can get to them once they’ve swung open.

”We’ll figure a way in.” Jaypaw nodded. “Thank you for all your help.” 

She didn’t want to force the Toms to continue to relive what were clearly very painful memories for them… but they were on the right track and now they knew that for sure. They were close to their goal. Closer than any of them had hoped.

Trickpaw looked deeply trouble by this new information. Jaypaw hadn’t realized that she was trembling until Ravenpaw pressed his pelt against hers.

Silently they all made their way to their nests. Jaypaw curled up along side her brother. As always she pressed her muzzle into his soft black fur, breathing in his familiar comforting scent. 
Prowl and Leo had clearly lost their two littermates along the way. She could imagine having to live without seeing her brother ever again. She prayed to Star Clan that she would never have to experience that pain. Prowl’s grief and fear had cut deep and she never wanted to feel that way. She never wanted her brother to feel that way. 
Jaypaw knew she would sharpen her claws on any cat, creature or two-leg who dared to even try and separate them.

Notes:

Prowl, Leo and Lucky are based directly off three barn cats I knew in real life. Prowl was actually my cat. And he was the sweetest thing. Rest in peace little buddy.

Chapter 9: Chapter 7

Prowl, Leo and Lucky were warm as they saw the apprentices off the next morning.

”Feel free to stop here on your way back.” Lucky told them as they were getting ready to leave. “You’ll be welcome,”

”We’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.” Trickpaw dipped her head to the old she-cat.

”Be careful there.” Prowl said his tail flicking nervously. “Don’t get caught by the two-legs. They’re horrible.”

”We were trained not to get caught by two-legs.” Ravenpaw shook bits of dried grass from his black pelt. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

”You should still be careful.” Leo said flicking his tail. “Like I said. There’s a she-cat there who is working with them. She seems to actually understand what the two-legs are saying.”

Ravenpaw twitched his whiskers. “A cat that can understand two-legs?”

”And other animals too.” Leo nodded. “They kept more than just cats there. I smelled dogs, birds, rats… many more I can’t name.”

”We’ll keep our ears up for anything else strange.” Jaypaw nodded.

”That whole place was strange.” Prowl meowed. “I can’t even remember all the rooms…” Leo laid his tail over his brother’s shoulders. 

“All of you should be on your way.” He said looking at the clan cats. “That place… it changes cats. If you’re on a rescue mission you shouldn’t waste time.”

”Thank you again,” Trickpaw raised her tail for the others to follow her. 
they followed her, taking back to tracking down the large thunder path towards the rising sun. Ravenpaw kept his head raised and nose into the air. He still remembered that horrible sharp scent of the place from his dream. He was trying to think on how they could possibly break into a two-leg den when the two cats they’d met from there hadn’t even escaped.

And why would they have just been disposed of like that…? Ravenpaw wondered to himself. It didn’t make much sense to him.

”I wonder what the two-legs are doing to all those animals.” Rowanpaw voiced. “It sounds horrible. Prowl looked just as scared as the cat from our visions.”

”He said whatever it is hurts,” Trickpaw mewed. “And to think that a she-cat gave birth to her kits in such a place…”

”We should have asked for descriptions of the kits and their names.” Shorthalt muttered. “So if this cat is one of them we’ll be able to know it’s him.”

”Too late to turn back now.” Ravenpaw stated. “Let’s just keep an eye out for the big two-leg place like Leo said. We should really focus on how we can possibly get inside.”

”Prowl said it was made of grey stone:” Strongpaw meowed. “You can’t break into a stone den.”

”There should be those clear gaps in the den walls.” Rowanpaw pointed out. “The ones with the clear barriers that we can use to look inside the place.”

”And the front entrance like Leo said.” Ravenpaw added. “We should be able to figure a way in at night when all the two-legs are gone or asleep.”

The planning and speculation lasted the rest of the day. They still stopped to hunt around sun high. This time Ravenpaw was paired with Rowanpaw.

”What should we go for?” She asked. “There’s lots of open ground here. I could chase a rabbit towards you and you could kill it.”

”Not a bad plan.” Ravenpaw felt his belly rumble. They hadn’t eaten at all that morning and he was really starting to feel it now. “My stomach thinks my throat’s been clawed out.”

Rowanpaw purred softly. “Then I’ll make sure it’s a nice fat one.” She mewed. “You hide in that long grass over there. Just keep your eyes open.”

Ravenpaw nodded and crouched inside the clump of long grass stalks to hide his black pelt. It had always helped him in the shady pine forests of Shadow Clan’s territory, but out here it made him stick out pretty badly.

It wasn’t long before Ravenpaw heard the thumping of small, panicked paws on the ground coming right for him. He peered out of the grass and saw a rabbit pelting towards him. Rowanpaw was right behind it, her tail streaming after her as she ran. Though she wasn’t nearly at the full speed Ravenpaw knew the Wind Clan cat could reach. He readied himself to spring. 
When the rabbit was just a few fox-lengths away he leapt for it, claws extended. He hooked them into the rabbit’s pelt, twisting it around so he could get at its neck. Its hind legs pummeled the ground furiously and Ravenpaw almost lost his grip on it. He had to twist his neck to deliver the killing bite to its throat, and even then it was a few moments before it finally went limp in his jaws.

”That was amazing!” Rowanpaw skidded to a halt next to him on the grass as he let the limp body fall from his jaws.

”That thing is huge!” Ravenpaw was panting from his struggle with the prey. “You’re telling me you catch these everyday in Wind Clan?”

Rowanpaw gave her chest fur a few embarrassed licks. “Not me all the time.” She said. “But there’s always a few on the fresh-kill pile. They’re Greyrose’s favorite prey.”

”Well what’s yours?” Ravenpaw asked her. He knew he had to get along with these cats if they were going to trust each other if this mission went bad.

”Oh.” Rowanpaw’s eyes lit up a little. “I like meadow voles.” She swiped her tongue over her jaws. “They taste a bit like sweet grass.”

”Do Wind Clan cats eat grass?” Ravenpaw was a bit confused.

”There’s this special grass that grows around the camp.” Rowanpaw explained. “It smells so good and it helps if you have a bad belly.” She padded the rabbit with her paw. “But we should get this back to the others while it’s still warm.”

”right.” Ravenpaw bent his head and picked the rabbit up by its scruff. It’s big hind legs dragged on the ground as they walked.

Tonight they’d not been so lucky in finding a sheltered spot. Instead Jaypaw had done her best to scrape together one large nest inside a dip in the earth so they’d at least be protected from the worst of the wind.

”If we all cuddle close we should still stay warm.” Trickpaw was saying. At her paws were some herbs that Ravenpaw didn’t recognize. “This lavender should help us sleep in any case.”

”And this rabbit should give us full bellies.” Rowanpaw announced as they neared the other two she-cats.

”Nice one.” Jaypaw smiled as Ravenpaw set the prey down. “It’s nearly as big as you brother.”

”And much larger than you Stubby.” Ravenpaw teased, skillfully dodging a playful blow from his sister’s paw. He hadn’t really called her that since they were kits.

He dropped into a crouch lashing his tail and letting out a playful his. Jaypaw reared up on her hind paws and leapt at him which Ravenpaw easily dodged again. He’d had to learn to easily dodge during his training with Shortshadow. The small black tom hadn’t so much as showed him things as he had thrown himself at his apprentice and expecting him to learn on the fly. Ravenpaw had been frustrated by that. His mentor was supposed to be teaching him things after all.
Ravenpaw leapt up and twisted in midair landing on his sister’s shoulders, pinning the brown tabby to the ground.

Jaypaw wriggled under his paws so she was on her back and able to kick at his belly from below. With claws sheathed Ravenpaw batted at his littermate’s ears.

Rowanpaw was purring in amusement as she watched the two of them play fought.

”Alright, alright.” Trickpaw laughed lightly. “That’s enough you two. The others are coming back.”

”Right.” Ravenpaw jumped away from Jaypaw. The she-cat flashed out her paw for one last swipe but she missed. “I’m starving.” He gave his pelt a shake as Jaypaw got back to her paws.

“I’ll get you next time brother.” She gave his ear a soft lick.

”I’m sure you will.” Ravenpaw let out a teasing purr as Shorthalt and Strongpaw pushed their way through the grass.

”I caught a frog!” Strongpaw announced proudly, presenting his catch to the two Shadow Clan cats.

”Nice one, big guy.” Ravenpaw nodded at the big green frog. “But I’ll pass. It’s all yours.”

Strongpaw let out a happy mrrow, scooped up his frog and settled down to eat it.

”mind the bones.” Jaypaw warned him. “They splinter and can get stuck in your teeth.

Shorthalt was empty-pawed this time around. “Big lug was splashing around so much I couldn’t catch so much as a minnow.” He complained.

”Well, Rowanpaw and Ravenpaw caught a huge rabbit.” Trickpaw pointed out. “So that’s not going to be a problem. We can all share it.”

And they did. It was nice to share prey with cars who you could actually get along with. Pinepaw, their den mate back in Shadow Clan had always been indifferent to them at best, and hostile at worst. Like Silverstar he loved to remind Ravenpaw and Jaypaw that they weren’t full Shadow Clan cats.

Well it’s not Pinepaw on this journey is it? Ravenpaw thought with bitter satisfaction settling in his belly along side the rabbit.

And now he was treating these cats as his clan mates. Strongpaw made an excellent base for a cuddle pile against the night chill.

Without a den roof Ravenpaw could look up and see the stars of Silver Pelt. And he wondered, not for the first time, if his mother was really up there looking down at him and his sister. It was hard to know those things for sure… he remembered little and less of Feathercloud. Just her soft fur and her warm milky scent… maybe she had a kind voice…

Silverstar had told him and Jaypaw that their mother had died of a sickness… but that didn’t sit entirely right with Ravenpaw. Not with the rumors that had flown around the clan when he and his sister had been kits. Stories about cats from all the clans who had gone missing. Whispers of Shadow Clan’s former leader… Cinderstar maybe… Ravenpaw couldn’t really remember why exactly leadership had passed to his father. He couldn’t even remember hearing how Cinderstar, or whoever he’d been, had died. If he even had died.

It all became so jumbled when paired with the rumors coming from Sky Clan. Hearing about one of their warriors, Frostbranch, who’d been their deputy no less, running off to be with a kittypet. That has left the aging leader, Swiftstar, to make a hasty choice before she’d died. Leaving a very young cat in Wolfstar to take her place. Ravenpaw couldn’t disagree that the Sky Clan leader seemed vastly out of his depth when compared to all the other leaders.

It left things in all the clans slightly jumbled and confused. It was no wonder Star Clan was asking them to bring in a cat from outside the clans now of all times. Fresh perspective and all that. And choosing young cats to do it. Two of which were half clan. Born in spite of borders and the newer rules to the code that made such relationships possible.

Ravenpaw sighed wrapping his tail around his sister and listening to the soft relaxed breaths of the cats all around him. These cats all felt more like clan mates than anyone in Shadow Clan ever had. Aside from his sister and maybe Darkwhisker. Ravenpaw wished that things could be different. That these could be his clan mates and that they didn’t have to return to living under their father’s paw. But… apprentices couldn’t switch clans like warriors could. He and Jaypaw were stuck for now.

---

Ravenpaw didn’t know when he had drifted off but when he did he was standing in a Shadowy clearing. Fog blanketed the cool ground under his paws and fireflies blinked in and out of the soft darkness.

”Hello little one.” The soothing voice of a she-cat spoke from within the fog.

”Hello?” Ravenpaw felt his neck fur begin to rise in fear despite the peace that lay all around him. “Who’s there?” He unsheathed his claws.

”A friend.” The voice mewed, and he caught a glimpse of glowing yellow eyes from within the mist. “I’ll be watching you very closely now.”

Ravenpaw whipped around as it now sounded like the cat was behind him. “Show yourself!” He demanded, his tail bushing out.

Paws slammed into him from his left side sending him skidding against the ground. He looked up at a black tom with powerfully built shoulders. His pelt was speckled with stars and the ground glittered where he put his paws. 
“You’re not ready yet.” The tom said, his green eyes glittering. He was not the first cat who had spoken and there was now no sign of those yellow eyes anywhere. “But you will be soon.”

And darkness swamped Ravenpaw’s vision, leaving him adrift and soft dreamless sleep. A warm pelt seeming to wrap around him… and his senses filled with a familiar milky scent…

Notes:

Just to clarify a few details. The timeline is a bit condensed since cats age a lot faster than the races in DnD do. Just to be clear in this fic Vex and Vax are 100% the product of an affair. Syldor pulled an Appledusk and had two mates from two different clans.

Chapter 10: Chapter 8

Rowanpaw was crouched beside the thunder path beside Ravenpaw. It has taken them three more days of travel for them to reach a large two-leg place. The dens were taller man the biggest trees she’d ever seen around the lake and she’d never felt  smaller.

”You think this is the right one?” Ravenpaw asked her. His tail was twitching with nerves and his ears were flattened against his head.

”It has to be. The others have all been too small.” Rowanpaw said quietly.

Trickpaw had sent the two of them to scout ahead as smaller numbers of cats were less likely to be seen. They’d passed several more two-leg places since leaving the barn, but none had been this large, or had the same types of tall dens. They’d also passed a bridge that had stretched over a river. Prowl and Leo had mentioned that they’d been dropped off a bridge.

”Then we should start looking for that three headed dog symbol.” Ravenpaw said. “If we know where it is we can plan a way inside.”

”Alright.” Rowanpaw inclined her head. “Do you know how to cross a thunder path?”

”Shortshadow showed me.” Ravenpaw flicked his tail at the path. “And right now it seems clear.”

The sun wasn’t even up yet, the barest hint of it peaking over the Horizon. Two-legs were such lazy creatures. Back in Wind Clan  the Dawn patrol would be half way around the border by now.

”Right. Let’s go.” Rowanpaw looked down the path in both directions, keeping her ears pricked for the rumbling of any approaching monsters. “Now.” She sprang to her paws and dashed across the hard path as fast as she was able.

She heard the sound of Ravenpaw running right behind her. The Shadow Clan tom was fast. Really fast. She saw him catching up to her and by the time they were fully across they were both neck and neck.

”Wow.” Rowanpaw panted her heart pounding with excitement. “You’re really fast.”

”I like to run.” Ravenpaw purred. “Jaypaw’s never been able to beat me in a race. But she’s better at climbing tress than I am.”

”It’s really great.” Rowanpaw purred back. “We should do a real race some time too. I’d like to see who’s faster.”

Ravenpaw batted a paw over her ear playfully. “Mission first fun stuff later.”

”Fair enough.” Rowanpaw lifted her head. “Bug grey two-leg den with a white marker up front.” 

“Shouldn’t be two hard to find. Two-leg dens are so colorful,” Ravenpaw said turning his nose up into the breeze. “Ugh, I hate how these places smell.”

”Me too.” Rownpaw sniffed the air as well. “I smell dogs. Did Prowl say the den had dogs in it too?”

”I think so.” Ravenpaw took a few steps forward. “Only one way to find out.”

the dog scents were stale, barely there at and they were mingled with the scents of various two-legs. 

“Dead-end.” Rowanpaw sighed. 

“Hold on.” Ravenpaw was sticking his head into a small gap of a two-leg fence. “I smell something.” His tail was held straight up like a stick. 

“What is it?” Rowanpaw tried to get a peak through the gap but Ravenpaw’s head was in the way.

”It smells all sharp,” Ravenpaw began to squeeze his way through the gap, wiggling his body until he was able to slip through.

Nervously Rowanpaw followed and squeezed her way through the small gap as well. She could have sworn she felt parts of her pelt part ways with her body. “We have got to find an easier way to get through that on our way back.” She muttered, shaking bits of dirt from her fur. She looked around but there was no sign of the Shadow Clan tom. “Ravenpaw?” She whirled around and looked up at the top of the fence but he wasn’t there either. Oh no… she’d lost him. “Come on… this isn’t funny,” Rowanpaw felt panic began to creep in under her pelt.

”Over here.” Ravenpaw’s voice hissed from behind a pile of two-leg things. “You’re standing right out in the open,” 

Rowanpaw raced over to where she saw his sleek black tail raised. “You could have mentioned we were hiding.” She hissed under her breath.

”We’re wedged between two two-leg dens. I thought it was obvious.” Ravenpaw said. “But look.” He gestured with his head to the end of the ally.

Rowanpaw followed his gaze and her eyes widened. Across a large thunder path was a grey two-leg den. It was lower than all the dens around it. But set out in front of it was a large white marker. On that marker was a dark blue symbol. A symbol of a three headed dog.

”We found it!” Rowanpaw breathed, excitement tingling in her paws.

”Let’s go check it out.” Ravenpaw said, beginning to creep forward from their hiding place to the two-leg walking path.

The sun was finally starting to properly rise and the two-leg place was starting to wake up at last. Lights were coming on and the low rumbling growl of monsters rousing from their own slumbers. 

“Ravenpaw.” Rowanpaw hissed after him, creeping forward much slower than the black tom. “Trickpaw just asked us to try and find it.”

”We have to find a way inside.” Ravenpaw hissed back. He was already looking down the thunder path both ways before he was ready to cross.

”Hold on.” Rowan paw begged. “The two-legs are waking up, this place will be crawling with them soon.”

”All the more reason to be quick.” And with that, Ravenpaw was dashing across the thunder path towards the grey two-leg den.

”Ravenpaw!” Rowanpaw knew she had no choice but to follow him. She couldnt just leave him to do this alone.

She saw as he vanished into a low lying shrub that lined a stretch of thunder path stuff around the den. As soon as Rowanpaw was across she did the same, halting right beside the Shadow Clan tom.

”For the record, I think this is a bad idea.” She hissed in his ear.

Ravenpaw purred in amusement. “You’ll be happy once we’ve figured out a way inside.” They remained crouched under the bush though.

A monster was getting closer, its bright eyes lighting up the dim area around them. It’s large black paws creeping it forward to a stop right next to the den. Out of the thing stepped a two-leg. Rowanpaw had realized she’d never really believed the stories that two-legs rode inside them until now. She watched as the female two-leg closed the monster’s flank and watched as its bright eyes dimmed and went out.

”Come on.” Ravenpaw was about to creep forward again.

”No.” Rowanpaw hissed, hooking her claws into his fur and dragging him down as the two-leg walked towards the entrance of the den. “We can’t be seen mousebrain,” 

“But-“

”No.” Rowanpaw stated. “If we get closer it’ll be towards the side to peek into those clear gaps. Nothing else. We can’t be seen.”

Ravenpaw sighed and stopped fighting her grip. “Alright. We’ll do it your way.” Though he didn’t look very happy about it.

”This way.” Rowanpaw flicked her tail for him to follow. She kept one side of her body pressed against the hedge as she crept around the stretch of thunder path stuff.

more monsters were beginning to file in one by one. Each time one did she and Ravenpaw would hide back under the hedge out of sight.

”No way all these two-legs live in there.” Ravenpaw hissed as they watched two males enter the den together.

”Maybe it’s some sort of gathering place.” Rowanpaw suggested. They were close to the side of the den now, its sides of smooth grey stone looming over the two cats. “How are we going to get up there…” she murmured looking up at one of the clear gaps. It was alight now with a bright white glow that would have been blinding if she’d been looking directly at it.

”I’m gonna try something.” Ravenpaw was looking up at one of the near by sleeping monsters. It was resting right in front of the gap in the den. With little warning the black tom was leaping into the air.

Rowanpaw let out a squeak of horror as his paws landed on the snout of the sleeping monster. “Are you crazy?!” She hissed. “You could wake it.”

”Shh.” Ravenpaw was getting ready for another spring. “Follow me.” And with that he jumped again. His front paws made contact with the small ledge in front of the clear gap.

Her heart pounding in fear Rowanpaw followed the Shadow Clan cat’s lead. She leapt on top of the monster. Its hard pelt felt oddly hot under her paw pads. When she leapt for ledge on the gap her hind paws had to scrabble for purchase. She could do nothing but brace her paws against the surface and dig her front paws into the cut wood of the ledge.

”Hold still.” Ravenpaw hooked his teeth into her scruff and hauled her up fully. “We need to get you climbing lessons.”

”There are hardly any trees on the moore.” Rowanpaw grumbled peering into the clear gap once she felt steady on their perch. Her blood ran cold. 

She could see the inside of the den… and it looked just like their shared vision. Dull colors and bright lights… and cages. The wall that they could see inside was lined with cages. 

“Great Star Clan.” Ravenpaw breathed, his fur bristling beside her. “Look at all those cats.”

There were a lot of cats. Shut inside those small stacked cages with lank pelts and dull eyes. Rowanpaw found herself searching for any scrap of white fur. “Do you see our cat?” She hissed to Ravenpaw.

”Not yet but-“

Hiss words were cut off by a hiss. “What are you doing here?!” Rowanpaw almost lost her balance on their perch. Standing below them, with fur bristling was a dark brown tabby she-cat. She wore a collar but there wasn’t a hint of kittypet softness on her. Her blue eyes glittered with cruelty and malus. “Spies aren’t welcome here.”

Ravenpaw hissed in return and before Rowanpaw could stop him he hurled himself at the she-cat with a yowl.

”Ravenpaw!” Rowanpaw leapt down after him as the she-cat rose to meet his challenge with claws unsheathed.

The two cats were a flurry of teeth and claws. Each of them rolling a spitting. Rowanpaw through herself at the she-cat and knocked her off her paws.

”We need to run!” She insisted to her friend as Ravenpaw tore himself from the cat’s claws. Bits of his black pelt had been torn loose. He looked up at the gap again. “Now, Ravenpaw!” Rowanpaw begged him.

The Shadow Clan tom gave her a curt nod. Avoiding a few more swipes from the she-cat the two of them fled. 

“That must be Anna.” Ravenpaw hissed once they were across the thunder path. They saw the she-cat was pacing on the other side watching them her tail lashing a warning. 

“It has to be.” Rowanpaw agreed. “We have to get back and tell the others.”

“Right.” Ravenpaw gave his pelt a shake. “That place… the inside looks even worse than in our visions.”

”Did you see our cat?” Rowanpaw asked him. 

“Maybe. It was hard to tell.” Ravenpaw shrugged. “But there are so many other cats in there than we thought.”

”I know. We have to find a way to help them.” Rowanpaw couldn’t get their dull eyes out of her mind. Their pelts had been without luster, clinging to their bodies as if they hadn’t ever been properly groomed.

It wasn’t right. Those cats shouldn’t be trapped in those cages like that. Even a kittypet life would be better than that. She couldn’t imagine living that kind of nightmare.

”We can try.” Ravenpaw set his tail tip on her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go back to the others and let them know what we found.”

”Right.” Rowanpaw nodded and followed the black tom back through the winding paths of the two-leg place.

 

Chapter 11: Chapter 9

Trickpaw’s eyes go wide as she looked up just in time to see Rowanpaw and Ravenpaw crash through the undergrowth into their little make shift resting spot. She’d sent the two cats out to search the two-leg place before sunrise. Hoping beyond hope that this would be the place that they needed to be.

She hadn’t expected them to come back with pelts spiking and slight panic in their eyes. One of the first things she noticed was that Ravenpaw’s pelt was torn. He was also leaking blood from one side of his nose.

”Great Star Clan!” Jaypaw exclaimed, jumping to her paws and rushing to her panting littermate. “What happened?”

Trickpaw padded over quickly and began to sniff at Ravenpaw’s pelt. He squirmed a little but stayed still enough for her to check him for injuries.

”We found the place!” Rowanpaw announced shaking out her ruffled fur.

”And that nasty cat Prowl and Leo warned us about.” Ravenpaw added.

”you were just supposed to scout.” Shorthalt chastised the younger cats.

Ravenpaw just rolled his eyes. “We were scouting. I was looking for a way in when she came and challenged us.”

”And then you jumped on her.” Rowanpaw pointed out with a flick of her tail.

”We’re going to have to fight her at some point.” Ravenpaw stated. “It would have been better to chase her off or injure her so she couldn’t be a problem.”

Trickpaw pulled away. “Well you don’t seem to be injured at least.” She sighed. “But be more careful next time. I don’t have the herbs we need if one of you gets injured yet.”

Ravenpaw licked the blood from his nose and sighed looking resigned. “Alright. But you didn’t see this place.” He stated. “It’s huge. And there are two-legs and monsters all over the place.”

”And there’s more than just one cat trapped inside.” Rowanpaw added. “I was able to count at least a dozen. Maybe more.”

That didn’t bode well. “And any sign of our cat?” Strongpaw asked. 

“I think a saw some white fur.” Ravenpaw nodded. “But it was like the cat was crouched down and trying to hide.”

”I don’t blame him.” Rowanpaw visibly shivered. “That place looked awful. No cat should be forced to live there.”

”Did you find a way in?” Trickpaw asked them.

”Well the two-legs don’t seem to be there at night.” Ravenpaw said. “So if we go then we should have time to look.”

”What about the guard cat?” Jaypaw asked. “She nearly ripped your fur off brother.”

”I’m fine.” Ravenpaw insisted. The six of us should be able to injure her to where she can’t fight.”

”Yeah. We all attack her at once.” Strongpaw dug his claws into the ground excitedly.

”The five of you.” Trickpaw reminded them. “I’m a medicine cat remember. I’m not supposed to cause harm to others.”

”Twilightstep can fight.” Shorthalt said. “And she’s good at it. I heard from Lightningtail at a gathering that she once killed a rouge.”

“Well that’s fine for Twilightstep. I’m talking about me. I wasn’t taught any battle moves at all.” In hindsight she probably should have asked Amberleaf to teach her some. But her mentor had been so focused on teaching her to treat injuries that they hadn’t exactly had much time for that.

”In any case.” Jaypaw cut back in. “Without a way inside there’s not much we can do even if Anna isn’t going to be a problem.”

”We need to look for a way in tonight once all the two-legs have left.” Rowanpaw nodded. 

“Some scouts and some lookouts.” Shorthalt suggested. “So some of the cars can watch for Anna and we’re not caught off guard again.”

Ravenpaw bristled indignantly. “I was not taken off guard.”

”Of course not brother.” Jaypaw let out an amused purr as she started to smooth her brother’s ruffled fur with a few soft licks. “Let’s get you and Rowanpaw cleaned up and then we can look for something to eat.”

”Right.” Trickpaw agreed. “I’m going to look for herbs. If we’re going be staying up at night to scout this place then we’ll need a few for strength.”

”I’ll come with you.” Strongpaw offered at once. “You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

His protectiveness of her warned Trickpaw’s heart. “Thank you buddies.” She purred. 

They split up their little group. Rowanpaw staying behind to guard their spot and straighten up the one large nest all of them had shared the night before. They’d all learned that they rather liked the closeness after all even if they weren’t from the same clan.

Trickpaw had to a free it was a good feeling. And as a medicine cat she wasn’t bound by the same borders of clan separation that the others were. Though she was sure after this mission that they could never all be that close again it was a memory that she knew she would hold dear for the rest of her days.

And maybe, once we’re all in Star Clan together we can have that again. The thought brought a purr up from her throat as she sniffed a near by patch of plant growth to see if there were any traveling herbs hidden among the grass stalks.

”Find anything?” Strongpaw asked her. 

Trickpaw looked up and shook her head. “No not yet.” She sighed. “Not much grows by two-leg places unless it’s in one of their neat little gardens.”

”Then why don’t we go look in one of those?” Strongpaw asked looking confused.

”Because we could be invading a kittypet’s territory or jumping right into the path of a dog.” Trickpaw said. “It’s too dangerous to risk that right now with so much on the line.”

Strongpaw’s whiskers drooped in disappointment. “I could fight a dog.” He insisted. “And I know I could fight off a fat kittypet.” He added.

Trickpaw purred at her friend. “Yes buddies I’m sure you could fight a kittypet.” She mewed. “But no cat should be fighting dogs. They’re way too big.”

She remembered hearing stories about packs of dogs ripping cats apart as if they were nothing but pray. Wheattuft and Oakshade had gotten onto Moonwing about telling those sorts of stories to kits. Needless to say, the white she-cat had never been asked to babysit them again after that. Or maybe that had been because she’d moved to Sky Clan not long after that.

Trickpaw wondered if any of them would end up switching clans once they were warriors. She could see why Ravenpaw and Jaypaw would want to. Their father seemed horrible and she couldn’t get the idea of forcing kits to do apprentice duties out of her head. It disgusted her. Sure if a kit wanted to help change the bedding in the nursery that was one thing, but to force them to do, not just for their own nest but others in camp as well… it didn’t sit right with her.

That and Silverstar seemed to treat his own kits with utter indifference or outright distain. He hadn’t even announced that they were apprentices at their first gathering. And honor all clan cats shared. A rise in rank always merited a gathering announcement for any cat. Even cats moving to the elders den got the honor of their service being acclaimed by all the clans. 

It just wasn’t fair to the two littermates.

Trickpaw had grown up hearing gossip about their mother spoken in hushed tones around the clan. Though she had no memory of ever sharing a den with Ravenpaw and Jaypaw she was sure she must have at some point in her kit-hood. Feathercloud had been a kind cat all agreed. And she’d loved her kits fiercely. But she had been lied to. With Silverstar’s ascension to the rank of Shadow Clan’s leader, she had believed she would be able to move to Shadow Clan with their kits to be with him. Only to find out he already had a mate in Shadow Clan.

Darkwhisker…

And then Feathercloud had gone missing. All a patrol had ever found of her was a smear of blood

on a rock. And Slithertail had gone to ask Star Clan if she was among them. All he would say after that was that Feathercloud now hunted with their warrior ancestors.

Feathercloud wasn’t the only cat to vanish with little no trace in Thunder Clan either. Not long after her, a young warrior named Quickstrike had vanished as well. He had been Sunblaze’s mate and all had agreed he was a formidable warrior. It wasn’t likely that some passing rouge or predator had dispatched him so easily. But he too was in Star Clan now according to Amberleaf. Moonwing had even come back to Thunder Clan briefly for his vigil and to comfort her friend Sunblaze in her grief.

Trickpaw had remembered seeing longing in the she-cat’s red eyes as well as sorrow. She still didn’t know what that could have meant.

Finally she was able to scrape together a few meager stems of sorrel and daisy from among the grass and weeds.

”Ok, I think this is as much as we’re going to find here right now.” She said, looking unimpressed at her own work, willing the pile to suddenly get larger. It remained pathetic, of course. She gathered them up in a leaf wrapped and picked it up in her jaws.

Getting the hint Strongpaw fell into step beside her as they walked back to their makeshift little camp under the shrubs.

The others were already back of course and they’d managed far better in their hunting than she had gathering herbs. And they’d waited for her and Strongpaw to get back before they started to eat.

”Medicine cat gets first pick.” Shorthalt insisted gesturing with a paw at the little fresh kill pile they’d made.

Trickpaw felt her pelt grow hot as she dropped her leaf wrap on the ground. “Thanks.” The mewed going to the pile and picking out a nice looking thrush. Shorthalt hadn’t been able to find any water large enough to fish in as there was no sign of any on the pile.

As she settled down to eat Trickpaw watched the others all get up to pick their own pieces of prey. Friendly chatting ensued after that and it was like they’d known each other all their lives.

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw clearly felt more comfortable with all of them rather than their own clan mates. And it was heartwarming to see the two Shadow Clan cats so at ease. Even after Ravenpaw’s tussle with that fierce cat who seemed to guard the grey two-leg den he seemed very cheerful.

Rowanpaw just seemed to be able to get along with everyone even if she tripped over her words from time to time.

”When are we heading out?” Strongpaw asked licking the remnants of his mouse off his whiskers.

”After sunset. Just to be safe.” Trickpaw said. “So we have the cover of darkness.”

”Then I should be on the scouting side.” Ravenpaw stated. “I’ll blend in perfectly.”

Trickpaw nodded in agreement. “You and Jaypaw then. You’re the most experienced moving in darkness.”

”We can find our way in.” Jaypaw nodded. “If there’s one to be found.”

”There has to be.” Rowanpaw twitched her tail nervously. “Those cats in there looked so… helpless… so lost. We have to find a way to help all of them. Not just the cat we came for.”

Trickpaw nodded. “We’ll do our best. Maybe they know something we don’t that can help.” 

They all nodded in silent agreement. There had to be a way to free all the cats there. No cat should be forced to live in a tiny cramped cage. Even kitty pet life offered some kind of freedom to roam even if those cats didn’t often take it. If they could… they would help all those cats if there was a way to.

Star Clan light out path. Trickpaw prayed as they waited for the sun to set. Show us the best way to help all of these cats… not just the one you sent us here for.

 

Chapter 12: Chapter 10

As night fell and the shadows lengthened Jaypaw and Ravenpaw lead the way back through the two-leg place. Ravenpaw taking the lead of the two of them as he knew the way. Rowanpaw and Strongpaw were going to be their lookouts and backup just in case things went south with the strange cat guarding the den. 
Seeing the place for true outside of dreams sent a shiver up Jaypaw’s spine. The whole place seemed cold and foreboding.

Star Clan… how could any cat live inside that place. Not by choice she knew. No cat would live there by choice

”Can you smell that cat?” She hissed to her brother under her breath.

”It’s stale.” Ravenpaw whispered back. “Let’s go while we’re in the clear.”

Jaypaw nodded and began to creep forward with her littermate. She knew they had backup standing by and that felt nice. They’d never really had that before.

Ravenpaw stopped under one of those clear gaps in the den wall.

”How are we going to get up there?” Jaypaw asked him in a hushed voice.

”Earlier I jumped to it from the muzzle of a monster.” He said gathering his legs under him. “The one time I wish we were Sky Clan cats.”

Jaypaw rolled her eyes. Of course her brother had been birdbrained enough to jumped on top of a sleeping monster. She watched as Ravenpaw bunched up his haunches and leapt for the small ledge.

”Star Clan…” she heard him hiss. “Sister get up here.” His sleek tail flicked up, beginning to bristle.

Jaypaw crouched down on the finely cut grass and took a long leap up to the ledge. One section of the clear gap had been lifted. Instead of the clear hard stuff, the only thing separating them from the inside of the two-leg den was a thin mesh.

Ravenpaw placed his paw on the mesh and unsheathed his claws. “Do you think?” He asked looking at her with those luminous yellow eyes that always seemed to glow in the dark.

”It’s what we came for.” Jaypaw nodded copying her brother’s actions. As one they drug their claws down the mesh. It wasn’t nearly as flimsy as it looked but their claws were getting through.

The scratching noises seemed to be getting through to the cats inside. Eyes appeared in the darkness a pair at a time. They glittered in fear and uncertainty.

“Stop.” A she-cats voice hissed urgently out of the darkness. “Anna will hear you.”

”Hush. We’re trying to help you.” Jaypaw tried to sound soothing.

”Do as she says.” A Tom’s rough voice sounded. “This is no place for apprentices.”

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw both froze in their actions. They looked at each other. Apprentices… how did he know.

”How do you know that term?” Jaypaw questioned.

“You smell of Shadow Clan.” The Tom’s eyes looked amber in the darkness. His purr was nostalgic. Deep and fond.

”Are you Shadow Clan?” Ravenpaw questioned.  

“I was. But you seem far too young to have known me.” The tom meowed calmly. “And you must leave if you don’t wish to be trapped here. Forgotten by the clan.”

”We’re on a mission from Star Clan.” Jaypaw insisted. “There’s a car in here they want. But we can free everyone. You can come home.”

”No.” The Tom’s voice became a low rumbling growl. Then… he let out a loud caterwaul. An alarm call.

”What are you doing?!” Ravenpaw demanded. They’d finally managed to claw a head sized hole into the mesh barrier.

”naughty kittens.” A voice purred from above them. They looked up to see a dark brown Tabby crouched up on the roof of the den. “We’re going to have such fun together.” And she leapt down at them.

Her body slammed into Jaypaw and sent her falling off the small ledge with paws flailing.

”Sister!” Ravenpaw yowled after her.

Jaypaw’s back hit the grass hard and all the air was forced from her lungs. She coughed and spluttered for breath with the weight of the she-cat over her, claws sunk into her shoulders.

Then the weight disappeared. Her vision cleared and she saw Strongpaw batting away the tabby with his heavy paws.

”Scatter!” The Thunder Clan tom shouted at them.

Jaypaw staggered to her paws with her brother’s help. 

“Come on.” He hissed in her ear.

They could hear the sounds of Strongpaw and Anna fighting. They were hissing and snapping at each other. The could also hear Rowanpaw doing the same so at least Strongpaw was not alone in that fight.

Carefully the two Shadow Clan cats slipped into a bush to hide and wait for their companions so they could run away together.

And then… there was a loud snapping sound. 

Jaypaw looked around frantically. In the darkness she hadn’t seen the odd web of hard two-leg stuff. They had been walking on fallen leaves… those leaves had been covering an odd plate that had snapped shut the entrance of the trap.

Ravenpaw let out a yowl of rage and threw himself at where the opening was. It did no good, he just bounced off of it.

”Strongpaw! Rowanpaw! Run!” Jaypaw shouted at the two of them.

Oh Star Clan… now they have to rescue us!

”Jaypaw?” Rowanpaw’s voice was confused.

”Run!” Ravenpaw repeated his sister’s words.

They heard quick paw-steps and then the faces of their companions were peering through the bushes with wide eyes. Strongpaw’s left ear was torn and he had a cut over that same eye. Rowanpaw’s pelt was badly ripped and she was bleeding from her flank.

”Great Star Clan!” Rowanpaw stared at them fearfully. “We have to get you out!”

”No time.” Ravenpaw hissed. “You have to go back to the others. Now.”

”But-“ Strongpaw tried to protest.

”Don’t argue.” Jaypaw hissed. “Run before we’re all caught.”

The other two cats still hesitated.

”Go!” Ravenclaw demanded of them slamming his paw against the hard web. “Get out of here!”

His growl got them moving and soon the other two clan cats were out of sight.

Thats when Anna slipped into view. Jaypaw felt a stab of pleasure at the fact that she was limping pretty badly.

”Your friends are gone,” the she-cat purred, her eyes glittering with malus. “Now I just have to wait for the lady to come fetch you inside.”

”Why are you helping the two-legs?” Ravenpaw demanded.

Anna purred. “Such a crude word. Two-leg.” She laughed at them. “You’ll learn better ones soon enough.”

”What is that supposed to mean?” Jaypaw hissed her tail lashing back and forth. She still pressed herself close to her brother. Her shoulders stung where Anna’s claws had torn her skin.

”You’ll find out.” Anna smiled maliciously. “Once the morning comes I’ll let them know this trap is full. You came here looking for a white cat, you’ll meet him soon enough. He won’t be any help to you. The little kitten knows his proper place,”

Jaypaw looked at her brother seeing Ravenpaw with his lips drawn back in a full snarl with his ears flat to his skull.

”You fox heart!” He snapped trying to swipe at her through the hard web trapping them.

”Even your swears are crude. Have you ever even seen a fox before?” Anna’s whiskers twitched in amusement.

”Have you?” Jaypaw snapped back. “You’re wearing a kittypet collar. You’ve never been in the wild a day in your life.”

”Oh yes, it would be wonderful to have to pick fleas from my pelt.” Anna sneered. “Don’t worry. They’ll treat you for all the vermin in your fur. The lab can’t afford that kind of contamination.”

”Lab?” Ravenpaw questioned. “The two-leg den you mean.”

Anna rolled her eyes again taking great pleasure from their confusion. “Yes. The two-leg den,” she mocked. “Where they do work to make lowly animals like you worth more than the dirt on your paws.”

Jaypaw bristled. “You’re not any better than we are,” she snarledx

”You’re the ones in a cage little kitten.” Anna purred. 

They were stuck and all Jaypaw could do was press herself against her brother. He rasped his tongue over the scratches on her shoulders to clean the wounds and sooth the stinging. They tried to curl up together and at least get a little sleep. But when they would close their eyes Anna would yowl, and put her paws on the outer web of the trap and rattle it with all her strength to disturb them.

”What is wrong with you?!” Ravenpaw snarled the first time this happened. 

“You don’t get to sleep right now.” Anna hissed right back. “Keep your eyes open.”

Jaypaw shuddered and felt Ravenpaw tremble with rage beside her. But there was nothing they could do. 
Even as the colors of sunrise began to bleed through the leaves of the bush that hid the trap. 
Anna raised her tail, her eyes glittering with excitement. The sounds of monsters slowly crawling their way into the stretch of thunder path stuff around the den. 
The tabby padded out of the bush and meowed loudly.

Jaypaw let out an involuntary hiss when she heard the odd voice of a two-leg approaching. As the branches of the bush were shifted she and Ravenpaw pressed themselves to the bottom of the trap with their ears flat to their heads.

The female two-leg peered at them through the hard webbing, her eyes having that same cruel glitter to them as Anna’s. She spoke to them in word Jaypaw couldn’t understand… but her tone was like poisoned honey. Sweet and dripping with hidden venom.

And then they were being jostled as the trap was carried inside the two-leg den. That sharp scent Jaypaw remembered from her vision hit her like she was running head long into a tree. The lights were an unnatural white color and far too bright. Ravenpaw had to cover his eyes with his paws to avoid how the lights made them sting.

Under all those wrong and sharp scents was the smell of blood. Cat blood, dog blood… others from rats, birds, and other animals Jaypaw couldn’t name.

They were brought slowly into the cat room with its walls lined with cages. Jaypaw caught a glimpse of the gap she and Ravenpaw had been working on. The hole they’d made was still there. Good.

The cats inside the cages all pressed themselves back as far as they were able while keeping their dull eyes on the two-leg and her movements. 
Hissing Jaypaw looked for the Tom who had alerted Anna to their presence, but she couldn’t tell which cat he would be. She hadn’t been able to see him through the darkness.

Their trap was tipped up and she and Ravenpaw were dumped unceremoniously into a cage and just as quickly shut inside that as well. But it felt smaller than the other ones looked, there was barely room for the two of them to move.

The two-leg was moving now looking something blue and stretchy over her paws and fiddling with other odd small things that Jaypaw couldn’t name. When she started to approach their cage Jaypaw hissed fiercely. 

“Stay away from us!” She tried to twist out of the way of the thing in the two-leg’s paw but couldn’t. 

A sharp pain shot up her flank like it was being pierced by a very long claw. A few moments later Ravenpaw also let out a cry of pain and the two of them continued to struggle and twist inside their small cage.

Jaypaw felt her limbs become heavy and her vision was starting to blur and her eyes became heavy.

”Jaypaw…” Ravenpaw’s mew was soft and desperate. Tired… like he was about to fall asleep.

Jaypaw pressed her muzzle into his black fur to assure him that she was there… but she couldn’t keep her eyes open.

---

Jaypaw woke with a start laying on a sold hard surface. She shot up eyes wide. She was surrounded by hard walls, one being that web of a cage. And she was alone… her brother was not near her.

”Ravenpaw!” She cried, tried to stagger weakly to her paws, but her limbs would not obey her. “Ravenpaw!?”

”I’m here…” his weak mew was a shot to her heart.

Jaypaw saw her brother’s head raise up in the cage right across from hers.

”Oh thank Star Clan.” Jaypaw nearly sobbed in relief. “Are you okay?”

”I’m really sore…” Ravenpaw groaned. “What about you?”

”Same, my legs really hurt.” Jaypaw shivered.

”That’s normal.” Another voice made Jaypaw while her head around. On the other side of an empty cage next to Ravenpaw’s was a cat. A white tom with dull, almost lifeless blue eyes.

Jaypaw took in a deep breath. This… this was the cat from her vision. The white tom Star Clan had sent them here to find.

”Normal?” Ravenpaw questioned.

”Yes.” The Tom nodded. “Your first time coming off a sedative is always the worst. And that one was fast acting so she could move you and give you your shots without being scratched.”

”What shots?” Jaypaw hadn’t the faintest idea what a ‘shot’ was.

”Rabies, FRV, Bordetella, and Chlamydia” he said. “You’re going to feel sick for a while.”

Jaypaw wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She locked eyes with her brother who looked just as lost as she felt.

”well…” she looked back at the white tom. “I’m Jaypaw, and this is my brother Ravenpaw. What should we call you?”

The tom paused. “My name tag says Percival.” He said almost thoughtfully. “But… you can call me Percy.”

Chapter 13: Chapter 11

Ravenpaw couldn’t remember ever feeling so sick. Not even when he and Jaypaw had white cough as kits. He’d take the fever and sniffles over the bone deep ache in his body and the pounding pain in his head any day.

His sister looked just as bad as he currently felt. And they were separated. He couldn’t press his pelt against hers to give her comfort. And they both had odd flimsy collars around their necks. Ravenpaw hated how that felt. He wasn’t a kittypet for Star Clan sake!

But… they’d found the cat they’d come here for. And his name was Percy. Ravenpaw didn’t think he’d ever heard a cat with less life in their voice. What little he could see of the white tom showed enough of that. His pelt was dull and looked as though he’d never learned to properly groom himself.

”Percy.” Jaypaw dipped her head to the tom with a warm lift to her mew. “I know this is going to. W hard to believe but… we came here to find you.”

”You’re right. I don’t believe that.” Percy said. “We’ve never met before. What reason would you have to come looking for me?”

”Our ancestors sent us, and a few other cats, visions about you.” Ravenpaw explained. “We’re supposed to find you and bring you home with us.”

Percy was silent for a moment. “You came here, risked getting captured, got captured, and are now facing the kind of experiments they run in this place… all because you had a dream?” He asked skeptically.

Ravenpaw exchanged an awkward look with his sister. This cat didn’t sound like he was going to believe a word they said. And he sounded… young… he couldn’t have been older than six moons. Practically still a kit.

”Well… yes.” Jaypaw said. “But there’s a difference between dreams and visions. These were visions.”

”Eating odd things can give you strange dreams.” Percy shrugged. “Some of the drugs they give us here do the same thing. Talk about bad trips.”

”You don’t have to believe us.” Ravenpaw said. “But you want to get out of here don’t you? Surely you don’t like living in a cage and getting poked and prodded by two-legs everyday.0

Percy’s hackles rose. “Of course I don’t!” He snapped. “But I was born here. I wasn’t given a choice. They took my parents and littermates away and I never saw them again!” Grief broke his voice.

”What do you mean they took them away?” Jaypaw asked him gently. Percy just shook his head and lowered it to the floor of his cage. He was shaking and with his head bowed… Ravenpaw could see a wound there. It cut at the top of his skull, the fur was scrapped away there, exposing a crescent shaped line of half healed flesh. Had the two-legs done that to him?

”They take cats away a lot.” A she-cat in the cage above Jaypaw’s spoke up. She would have been pretty if her ginger pelt wasn’t so lank and dull. “If they fail in testing they disappear. Percy’s parents and littermates just weren’t making progress with the procedures like the rest of us.”

”Johana couldn’t take the stress of it Una.” A long furred black tom spoke up. “They took her body out of here and Fredrick went mad and attacked Delilah.”

”Who’s Delilah?” Ravenpaw asked looking at Una.

”The human.” Una said with a flick of her tail.

”What’s a human?” Jaypaw looked just as confused as Ravenpaw felt. All these words… shots… experiments… procedures… what did it all mean?

Percy was still lying at the bottom of his cage paws over his face as if that would hide him from what was going to cause him pain.

”What you call two-legs.” The black tom spoke. “They’re called humans. Fredrick used to use that word as well though.”

”And Fredrick was Percy’s father?” Jaypaw asked.

”Yes.” The tom nodded. “They had seven kits here. A big litter. Percy and his sister Cassandra were the ones they kept. I don’t know how she managed it but, she actually escaped. A few months ago. We haven’t seen her since.”

”So it is possible to escape.” Ravenpaw lifted his chin. “We’re going to get out of here. And take as many of you with us as we can.”

The black tom let out a spiteful purr of bitter amusement. “We know Anna can come and go as she pleases but we have no clue how.” He looked at Ravenpaw. “How exactly do you plan to find it?”

”We’re Shadow Clan cats.” Jaypaw said puffing out her chest fur proudly. “Sneaky is what we did best.”

”Maybe give them a chance Leofric.” Una mewed. “Look what they did to the window. They might actually have a chance.”

”Fredrick and Thordak both spoke of clans.” Leofric sniffed derisively. “One of them is dead and the other lost his bite. This won’t end any differently.”

”Wait.” Ravenpaw spoke up again. “Fredrick spoke of clans? Which clan? Did he say where he came from?”

Una was the one who answered. “He told us that his name used to be Frostbranch.” Her whiskers twitched in slight amusement. “That he was from something called Sky Clan.”

Ravenpaw locked eyes with his sister, they both slowly looked back at Percy, who was still hiding but seemed to be listening all the same.
Frostbranch… Sky Clan’s old deputy. The one who ran off to be mates with a kittypet. And this cat… he was their kit. The last one left.

Ravenpaw wished he had something to sink his claws into. This mission… Star Clan wanted them to return a cat with Sky Clan blood to Sky Clan where he belonged.

”We know Sky Clan.” Jaypaw spoke. “Frostbranch would be their leader now if he hadn’t left to be with his mate. I wonder how they could have ended up here.”

”Johana’s elderly house-folk died.” Another cat spoke up. His voice was cold as ice, a tone that matched his lean, almost gaunt frame. “He sure picked a bad time to choose love over authority.”

A low, angry growl sounded from the depths of Percy’s cage. “Don’t you dare speak of him like that, Martinet.” The young tom’s pelt was lifting over his spine. It seemed insulting his family was what got him to show some fire. 

“Put away your claws kitten.” Martinet’s eyes had that cruel glitter as Anna’s. “You know what happens when you act like a wild animal.”

That alone didn’t quail Percy though. He hissed and spat at the older tom, he lashed his tail and arched his back. It was all he could do. In that cage there was no way he could claw Martinet’s ears off… no matter how much he clearly wanted to do just that.

”Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Percival.” Anna’s voice made Ravenpaw whip his head around and up. She was sitting on top of the stack of cages, her tail nearly curled over her paws and a satisfied look on her face.

Percy started to back up into the depths of his cage, his ears pulled back against his head. Anna leapt down from her perch gracefully and calmly padded up to the front of Percy’s cage. For a few moments Ravenpaw was glad that at least the closed door would protect the younger tom.

Those hopes were dashed when Anna leaned forward and took the latch of the cage door in her teeth and twisted it. She pulled and there was a soft click. With a gentle pull of her head the door was swinging open.

He couldn’t see Percy anymore but Ravenpaw could imagine that the little white tom was cowering inside, his body pressed against the back wall.

”Hey!” Jaypaw hissed. “Leave him alone, you mange pelt!”

Anna calmly walked into the cage and Ravenpaw could hear the scuffle that ensued. The look of horro on his sister’s face told him all he needed to know… but he didn’t have to imagine it for long.

Anna was hauling Percy out of his cage by the scruff of his neck, her teeth sunk deep into his fur. Not how a mother would hold her kit but how a cat would drag its prey out of the safety of it burrow.

Percy’s claws scrabbled at the smooth stone floor to no avail. His blue eyes were wide with fear as he was pressed down under the weight of the older and much larger she-cat.

”Stop it!” Ravenpaw roared, pacing the front of his own cage with his tail lashing. “Hurt him and I’ll rip your sorry pelt off!”

Anna unsheathed her claws, they sunk into Percy’s shoulder’s and back. She drug her right forepaw down the little Tom’s back. He whimpered and mewled in pain, bright blood staining his white pelt crimson. He was trying to muffle his cries, once again burrowing his muzzle under his paws, his eyes screwed shut.

”Stop it!” Jaypaw wailed.

No one else was speaking up, they’d all retreated back into the depths of their cages.

”Quiet yourselves.” Anna hissed at them as Percy trembled under her paws. She wasn’t even holding him down anymore. He was just trying to curl up and protect the soft areas that were his throat and belly. “Or.” Anna used a forepaw to press Percy’s head against the hard surface of the stone below him. “I stop holding back.” Her claws were the width of a whisker from one of Percy’s eyes.

Jaypaw looked at her brother helplessly. They couldn’t do anything… they didn’t know how to open their cages. Slowly, silently they both began to back up into their cages like all the other cats were.

”Good kittens.” Anna purred removing her paw from Percy’s head. He didn’t dare to move or even open his eyes. “You now see what happens when you don’t learn your place. One out burst and I teach you what happens to wild beasts in this place. Step out of line one too many times, and well. You go to sleep, and you never wake up again. Just like little Percival’s father.”

Ravenpaw watched how Percy flinched and curled up tightens on himself. 

Go to sleep and never wake up… how can they do that?

Ravenpaw had heard the medicine cats speak of poisons that could kill a cat quickly… had the two-legs poisoned Frostbranch and made Percy watch his father fall asleep… only to stop breathing…

He could see his sister’s wide terrified eyes. Jaypaw was coming to the same conclusions he was. This place wreaked of blood and death under all the sharp unnatural scents. Cats had died here… how many Ravenpaw couldn’t even guess. Too many.

Anna was meowing loudly now, and a gap opened in a far wall. In walked that same female two-leg. In her arms was a ragged looking dark ginger tom. He seemed to be asleep as she put him into one of the upper cages. Only then did she look down at Anna and the trembling form of Percy, lying bloody at the she-cat’s paws.

The two-leg knelt down and gave Anna a few strokes down her back with a large paw. Then Anna seemed to get something small to eat from the other. The dark tabby stepped back to let the two-leg see Percy, and the long gash she’d made down his flank.

The two-leg meowed something in her odd language and carefully picked percy up off the floor. To his credit the little tom barely flinched, even if his eyes were wide with fear. She stroked over his small head, ruffling dull white fur. 
And then she was walking away, Percy held close to her chest… and they were gone.

Ravenpaw’s head was reeling. It had all happened so fast. They had barely gotten a chance to speak to percy… to try and plan their escape. What would that two-leg do to him? Jaypaw looked just as lost and horrified by what they had just seen. It had been unreal. That was a cat with clan blood. The cat Star Clan had chosen for them to find and return to his father’s clan. He had fight in him… and he was paying the price for that.

”You see now what happens when you act out.” Anna purred at them, calm as ever. She was still standing near the smear of blood Percy had left on the floor. “Welcome to the Cerberus Project.”

Chapter 14: Chapter 12

Rowanpaw’s heart pounded as she and Strongpaw raced back through the two-leg place to where Trickpaw and Shorthalt would be waiting for them. 
This couldn’t be happening… Ravenpaw and Jaypaw were captured by two-legs. And that cat guarding the place was insane. How could she fight as well as any clan cat Rowanpaw had ever seen? Even Strongpaw’s strength hadn’t been enough to stop her. 
Rowanpaw’s neck ached from where Anna had bit down into her scruff, teeth breaking skin and piercing into her flesh. Her paws felt raw from where the thunder path grit was biting into her pads.

Strongpaw was still behind her, she could hear the heavy thuds of his paws as he fought to keep up with the her Wind Clan speed.

When they finally crashed through the undergrowth Rowanpaw felt herself collide with a wall of fur. 

“Ow!” Shorthalt’s sharp mew caught her off guard as the two of them plus Strongpaw went down in a tangle of limbs and tails.

”What’s going on?” Trickpaw was looking up from some herbs she was sorting. Then her eyes widened. “You’re hurt!” She bounded over to Rowanpaw as the Wind Clan cat was struggling to her paws.

”Wait.” Shorthalt paused rolling away from the two shaking and panting apprentices. “Where are Ravenpaw and Jaypaw?” He asked.

”They got caught in a two-leg trap.” Strongpaw meowed between panting breaths.

”What?!” Trickpaw’s blue eyes went wide. “What do you mean they’re trapped?”

”Anna, or some other cat called an alarm.” Rowanpaw found it hard to remember. It had all happened so fast. “She acted us.”

”She fights like a warrior.” Strongpaw added, twitching his shredded ear. Blood stained the fur on the left side of his face.

Trickpaw stared at the two of them and started to take in the state of their injuries. “We’ll find a way to get them back.” She said. “But first I need to tend to these injuries. Shorthalt, find us some cobwebs.”

The River Clan cat nodded and padded off to edge of their makeshift camp. 

Rowanpaw laid down on her belly and lowered her head. “They told us to run and leave them behind…” she murmured.

”You did the right thing listening to them.” Trickpaw assured her. “We would have an even harder time rescuing all of you from that place.”

”They made a hole in the mesh in the clear gap.” Strongpaw said as Trickpaw licked clean his torn ear.

”That’s good.” Trickpaw nodded. “Well… a start anyway.” She sighed. “What else hurts buddies?”

”She bit down on my paw.” Strongpaw held up his right forepaw. It was bloody and the pad was torn. 

“give it a good lick and I’ll make you a poultice for it.” Trickpaw told him before padding over to Rowanpaw. The medicine cat began to nose through the other she-cat’s dark ginger fur searching for wounds.

”She sunk her teeth into my scruff…” Rowanpaw winced and shivered remembering the malicious glint in the dark tabby’s eyes. Anna had enjoyed hurting them…

”Found it.” Trickpaw told her beginning to lick the wound clean gently.

”I hated to leave them behind…” Rowanpaw murmured softly.

”We didn’t have a choice.” Strongpaw lowered his head, sinking his claws into the earth. “The two-legs could have caught us too.”

”We need a plan to break them out now.” Shorthalt was back, his voice muffled by the stick in his jaws. Around the end of it was a large clump of cobwebs.

Trickpaw pulled back from Rowanpaw to jump over to where her herbs were. She picked out a few and began to chew them into a poultice for their wounds. Rowanpaw had seen Firetail do this many times. Once, when she’d been a very small kit she’d thought she might like to be a medicine cat as well. She’d watched the ginger she-cat work nearly everyday. 
And then her mother had vanished…

From that day on she’d vowed to be a warrior just like Redfeather. To be strong and brave and courageous just as she had been. How the clan remembered her. She knew that would make her father proud when she was ready to get her warrior name. Rowanfeather… she wanted to be called Rowanfeather. Surely Cranestar would do that. Give his kit the name of his lost mate who now walked with Star Clan.

The poultice stung as Trickpaw spread it over Rowanpaw’s wounds.

”Ow…” her tail flicked and she sunk her claws into the cool earth.

”The stinging means it’s working.” Trickpaw assured her. “It’s killing any inflection before it can set in.” Gently she began to spread cobwebs over the poultice to keep it in place. “I’ll have another look at it in the morning but these wounds are all pretty minor.”

”They still hurt.” Strongpaw said as Trickpaw moved to cover his wounds with the poultice and cobwebs just as she had with Rowanpaw’s.

”I know buddies.” Trickpaw touched her nose to his cheek for a moment before continuing her work.

”I’ll get some hunting done so you two can eat.” Shorthalt announced.

”No fish please.” Rowanpaw sighed, laying her head on the ground. “Tonight has already been bad enough…”

”No fish, got it.” Shorthalt dipped his head to her. For once not teasing as he usually would.

”You two should rest.” Trickpaw said. “You’ll need your strength for our next try at that place.”

”What if there’s no way inside?” Rowanpaw asked her. “What if we’ve already failed the mission Star Clan sent us on?”

”If we’d really failed we’d be with Star Clan right now.” Trickpaw told her. “If we still breathe we can still complete the quest and bring that cat home with us.”

”That place is horrible.” Strongpaw said, his voice so quiet it hardly sounded like him at all. “It smells like death… cats have died there. A lot of them.”

”Ravenpaw and Jaypaw won’t die buddies.” Trickpaw said gently. “I know that they are too clever by half to let two-legs send them to join our ancestors. We’re going to free them. And every other cat in that place.”

”I hope you’re right.” Strongpaw laid his chin on the smaller cat’s head. “I really like them.”

”I like them too.” Trickpaw smiled sadly. 

“We have to save them as soon as possible.” Rowanpaw agreed. “Maybe if we can make that hole bigger it’ll be okay.”

”The hole is a good start. If the two-legs don’t fix it before we can use it.” Trickpaw agreed. “We can come up with a plan once we’ve rested and eaten, you two especially.” She nodded at Rowanpaw and Strongpaw. “Go ahead and curl up in the nest, I’ll wake you when we have enough fresh-kill.”

Rowanpaw nodded and struggled to her paws and climbed into the overly large nest of most and fern they’d put together for all six of them to sleep curled up together. It was nice, bedding down next to Strongpaw and being able to press her muzzle into his thick grey fur. 
They were all beginning to smell alike now. Only hints of their different clan scents clinging to their pelts after so long being in this small group.

Rownpaw wasn’t sure how she felt about that yet. But she knew she very much liked being close to all of these cats. They were starting to feel like her clan mates. Even if she wasn’t very close with a lot of them Rowanpaw still cared about her clan. She’d grown up knowing them. Knowing every face, pelt and scent as well as she knew her own.

Greyrose told so many amazing stories. Leafclaw could be harsh but she was also fair and clever and seemed to know everything that went on in the clan no matter how much cats tried to keep it quiet. Even things that happened in the other clans didn’t seem to be beyond her ears and one remaining eye.

Rowanpaw sighed and let her eyes fall closed as the exhaustion pulled at her body. The pain had dulled to only a slight ache and sting from Trickpaw’s poultice. She couldn’t help but imagine Ravenpaw and Jaypaw trapped in that cage trap.

Trapped in a cage just like all those cats in that den. It didn’t feel right at all. They were clan cats… they were meant to be free not trapped inside a two-leg den that smelled of death and blood.

There was something horribly off about that place. More so than anything else it just felt wrong. No other two-leg thing felt that way to Rowanpaw. Even if she hadn’t been to many in her life she seemed to know that this place was an outlier. A place of pain and death that still held the echos of all those events. 

But why?

Why so much death and blood? what could the two-legs be trying to do with all those cats that had ended up killing so many of them? And what was so special about this white cat that Star Clan wanted them to bring him back to the clans? For what? An outside prospective? Rowanpaw didn’t think it lined up very well at all with what she knew of Star Clan. Maybe she should have still asked Firetail more questions about them even after she decided that she would rather be a warrior.

---

When Rowanpaw felt a paw prodding her in the side she groaned. Her paws still ached horribly from the thunder path grit and her neck was still very sore.

The sun was now rising over the trees in the late stages of sunrise.

”I know.” Trickpaw said as Rowanpaw’s eyes focused on the little white she-cat. “You can go back to sleep once you’ve eaten something.”

”Alright…” against her body’s protests Rowanpaw stretched and stepped out of the large nest.

Shorthalt had thankfully not brought back any fish so she picked up the mouse and laid down to eat it. It didn’t taste as good with all those thoughts still whirling around in her head.

”I’ve been thinking.” Shorthalt said. “If that cat keeps coming out of nowhere she must have an easy way in and out of that den somewhere. If we can find it we have our way in.”

”That’s not a bad idea.” Trickpaw said looking impressed. “But where would it be?”

”When she came after Ravenpaw and Jaypaw she was on the roof.” Rowanpaw said, remembering watching Anna leap down from there to tackle Jaypaw of the ledge.

”She appeared out of nowhere.” Strongpaw agreed with a serious nod. “It was creepy.”

”Then that’s where we should look for it.” Shorthalt said raising his stumpy tail slightly. “Much quieter this time.”

”Some cat alerted her. So we shouldn’t be seen by any of them either.” Rowanpaw added.

”Why would any cat do that?” Trips wondered allowed. “That place sounds horrible. Why would they want to help that cat know where intruders are?”

”Theyre not smart I guess.” Strongpaw shrugged. 

“Or they’re scared that something worse will happen to them if they try to escape.” Rowanpaw said.

Trickpaw nodded in agreement. “We can’t be seen until we’re sure this Anna won’t be a problem.”

”I can’t wait for a rematch.” Strongpaw dug his claws into the earth in excitement. “I’m gonna rip off her pelt and that smug smile off her face.”

Rowanpaw purred despite herself. At least there was only one cat for them to fight. And surely they could outsmart a bunch of two-legs if it came to that. She just hoped Ravenpaw and Jaypaw could hold on long enough for them to get inside and free them.

Chapter 15: Chapter 13

Jaypaw paced back and forth at the front of her cage, her ears pulled back and her tail lashing. The female Two-leg, Delilah as they’d been told, had brought Percy back. His wounds were padded with a thick white substance that reminded her of thistle down. It was bound around his flank by something blue that looked as if it had the texture of snake skin. She’s laid him down in his cage on his side and hadn’t moved since… his flanks rose and fell weakly, but his eyes were partly opened for a while before falling closed.

The sun was setting outside by now and an orange light was being cast into the den.

”Where do the two-legs go at night?” Jaypaw asked hoping it would be Una or Leofric would be the ones to answer. Other than Martinet none of the other cats had spoken, or even acknowledged that she and Ravenpaw were there.

”They go home.” Leofric said. “This is just where they work during the day.” He flicked his tail. “They have there own lives and not all of them are here everyday.”

”Why would they do that?” Ravenpaw asked. “Don’t they have to go hunting?”

“Humans don’t hunt.” Martinet hissed. “They don’t have to.”

Ravenpaw exchanged looks with Jaypaw who merely shrugged. She didn’t want to even pretend to understand why two-legs did what they did, especially not here in this place. She turned her eyes back to Percy… still lying on his side at the bottom of his cage.

Jaypaw flinched at the sound of that gap in the far wall opening again. In came Delilah, many odd silver things stacked in her hands. 
Every cat’s ears pricked up in interest but they went deathly silent. 
Jaypaw and Ravenpaw both backed up to the far corners of their cages as the two-leg approached. Those odd silver things were bowls. The things kittypets ate their food out of. Delilah would undo a section of the front of the cage and slot the bowl inside. When she reached Percy’s she opened his door fully and reached her hand in. Jaypaw tensed as she watched the two-leg stroke over the little tom’s white fur. She couldn’t imagine letting a two-leg touch her.

Percy’s eyes shot open and went wide once he realized what was happening… but he still didn’t move, only pulling his ears back to his skull and pressing his head to the bottom of the cage. Then Delilah pulled back with one last touch on his head, and she slid that bowl into the slot on the cage door before closing it. 

“She cannot expect us to eat this.” Ravenpaw was wrinkling his nose in disgust at what was in his bowl.

Jaypaw crept over to her own bowl and couldn’t help but mirror her brother’s expression. Really what even was this stuff? What sat at the bottom of her bowl was a near circular mass of what looked like shredded meat held together with something brown and gelatinous.

”You’ve got to be kidding me.” She sniffed at it. It did smell like meat… but it was salty and wrong, like it had been dead for moons before being set in front of them.

“It’s not so bad…” Percy spoke causing Jaypaw to turn and stair at him as he pulled himself into a sitting position. To her shock after he sniffed his own food he’s started to lick it up hungrily. He raised his head to meet her eyes swiping his tongue over his jaws. “It’s all you have, and you’re going to need your strength for what comes next.”

”What does that mean?” Ravenpaw asked, his neck fur rising in anxiety.

”Testing.” Percy said. “So they can get a baseline for your level of intelligence. They might have you run through a maze or test your memory with cards.”

”What does any of that mean?” Jaypaw had to ask feeling like ants were crawling in her pelt.

”Just don’t claw or bite any of them.” Percy told them. “Trust me it won’t stop anything that happens either way and it will only make things harder for you.”

”You sound like you speak from experience.” Ravenpaw said.

”I do. Why do think I’m the only one from my litter left here?” Percy’s eyes shone with grief as he lower his head again to continue to eat.

”Coward.” The dark ginger tom in one of the cages above Percy’s snarled.

”Oh shut up Thordak,” Una hissed. “You’re one to talk about being a coward.”

”That’s not my name, you flea bitten rogue.” Thordak hissed as his tail flicked back and forth. 

Una just rolled her eyes and twitched her whiskers. Jaypaw flicked her ears up, that was the voice the cat who had sounded the alarm for Anna the night before. The cat who’d known they were apprentices.

”We are here to help you know.” Jaypaw hissed. “Once we found out there were other cats in here we knew we had to free all of you.” 

Thordak twitched his whiskers in seeming amusement. “You don’t have a clue who I am do you?”

”They said your name is Thordak.” Ravenpaw stated.

The tom drew his lips back in a snarl. “That is the name those filthy two-legs laid on me! It is not my name.”

Jaypaw felt a prickle of apprehension. She met Percy’s eyes and saw that he just seemed uneasy from this whole conversation. “Who are you then?” Jaypaw asked the older dark ginger tom.

Thordak drew himself up pridefully, his eyes glittering with malus. “I am Cinderstar. The rightful leader of Shadow Clan.”

The breath caught in Jaypaw’s throat and she once again locked eyes with her littermate. She saw her own shock mirrored on her brother’s face. Cinderstar… the cat who had been leader before their father… before they’d been brought into the clan.

”You’re Cinderstar?” Jaypaw asked unsure. “How did you end up here?”

”When the clans cast me away I had to venture outside the safety of the lake.” Cinderstar hissed. Jaypaw could hear his claws scraping against the hard surface of his cage. “Without the shelter of a camp the two-legs near by saw me more than they should have, so they called a patrol to capture me. After that I was brought here.” His amber eyes glinted bitterly. “They have taken two of my lives.”

”You still have your lives?” Ravenpaw sounded shocked. Deposed leaders were supposed to have their lives stripped away by Star Clan weren’t they? How could he still have some of his lives if Silverstar had all of his own?

”What are you talking about?” Percy asked. “What lives?”

”Clan leaders get nine lives granted to them by Star Clan.” Jaypaw explained. “So they can better protect their clan.”

”That’s absurd.” Percy said pulling his ears back slightly. “No cat has multiple lives. When you die, you die.”

”you’ll see.” Jaypaw promised him. “Once we get you and everyone out of here we’ll take you home to the clans. The clan your father was from.”

”How are you so sure my father was part of one of these clans?” Percy looked skeptical and afraid to hope.

”Cinderstar can’t be the only clan cat that these mangy two-legs have captured.” Ravenpaw said. “And Frostbranch left the clan moons ago to be with his kittypet mate. It just makes sense.”

”Yes.” Jaypaw nodded in agreement. “Star Clan sent us to come find you Percy. You’re going to be free and learn about your kin.”

”Star Clan.” Cinderstar hissed. “Don’t think I’ll be going back with you.”

Ravenpaw arched his back.” You don’t have to flea-pelt. No one asked you,”

”Careful young one.” Cinderstar curled his lip in disgust. “You had better be grateful that these cages keep us separated. Or now I’d be wearing your little pelt around my neck.”

Jaypaw pulled her lips back and snarled. “I’d like to see you try.”

”Hush, all of you.” Una stated. “The human’s haven’t left yet. We can’t cause so much noise.” Her eyes were wide and slightly pleading.

”Anna will still come if we make too much noise.” Percy said going back to his food. His ears still twitched at every little noise that he heard. His face had new lines of pain on it as he moved and breathed.

”Did the two-leg fix your wound?” Jaypaw asked him. She really didn’t want to eat this slimy looking food. 

“She stitched me up yes.” Percy nodded between bites. “It’s not the first time and it’s not going to be the last.”

”They pay him special attention.” Martinet said bitterly.

”What’s special about being targeted?” Ravenpaw growled. “That’s just cruel.”

”Because he’s the smartest cat here.” Una said. “The project’s greatest success really. They don’t know what makes him so special though. He’s second only to Thordak.”

”Cinderstar.” The tom growled deeply at the she-cat.

They were the smartest? What exactly did that mean? What made them different from these other cats? Other than their clan blood of course.

Clan blood… that has to be it. Jaypaw couldn’t think of anything else that could be the reason. But she couldn’t say that these other cats sounded less intelligent than any cat she’d ever spoken to before. Something still wasn’t adding up here.

Her stomach growled and she groaned. She really didn’t want to eat this kittypet mush.

”You should eat.” Percy told her. “Trust me, the only things they ever put in it are pain killers after operations.”

Jaypaw shivered and dipped her head to start to lick up the food. It tasted just as salty as it smelled and it made her want to gag.

Ravenpaw looked just as disgusted by how it tasted as she was. “This tastes as if it’s been dead for moons.” He hissed looking at Percy. “We have got to get you to try mouse. You’ll never want to eat this again.”

”Be grateful it’s not dry food.” Percy gave an amused twitch of his whiskers, that’s what they used to feed out.”

Jaypaw was so hungry she still emtied her bowl just to have something in her belly. “So…” she said awkwardly. “Where do you make dirt?”

”Yeah…” Ravenpaw was sitting up with his paws slightly crossed.

Percy looked between the two of them. “In the litter box at the back of your cages.” He said.

Jaypaw turned her head and saw the blue rectangular box that she’d noticed before. It was full of sharp smelling large grit sand. 

“you’ve got to be kidding me.” Jaypaw’s pelt prickled uncomfortably. Doing it without the cover of a bush made her feel so vulnerable. Ravenpaw and Percy at least looked away to give her a little privacy. Jaypaw gave her brother the same grace when he had to do the same. It felt humiliating.

”So… what’s going to happen to us in the morning?” Jaypaw asked Percy. 

“Every morning they run a health check on us.” He told her. “Then there’s the testing. They’ll start you out with the mazes and flash cards to test your memory.”

”That sounds tedious.” Ravenpaw grumbled.

”It can be.” Percy nodded. “Just don’t fight back and it will go easier,” he laid down on the hard floor of his cage his eye lids drooping with exhaustion.

”How can you sleep without a nest?” Jaypaw asked him feeling the cold surface under her body. 

“It’s all I’ve ever known…” Percy tucked his forepaws under himself. “I think I once shared a nest with my mother and litter mates… I remember how warm and soft she was…”

”Your mother?” Jaypaw asked seeing the sadness glinting in his eyes.

”Yes…”

Jaypaw knew that feeling. She had very few solid memories of her own mother. She knew how hard that was. “We were taken from our mother when we were kits too.” She said softly.

Percy looked up at her. “You were?”

”Yes. Our father brought us to Shadow Clan to live with him after she disappeared.” Jaypaw explained.

”I’m sorry that happened to you…” Percy’s voice was soft and sympathetic. This was a pain they both shared. They’d lost their mothers… but percy had no one while Jaypaw at least still had her brother with her.

”When we’re free you can share a nest with all of us.” Jaypaw promised. “It’ll be so comfortable you’ll forget what it feels like to be cold.”

For the first time she saw some light return to Percy’s blue eyes. Eyes as blue as the sky that he was locked away from, only seeming it through the small gaps of the den. “Okay…” he gave her a small nod. “We can try.” He paused. “Anna has a flap door in the utility door to the roof. That’s how she gets in and out freely.”

Jaypaw purred encouragingly at him. “Tell us everything.”

Chapter 16: Chapter 14

“No way am I letting this thing touch me!” Ravenpaw hissed as the female two-leg approached his cage the next morning. He’d backed himself up to the very back of his cage. The fur along his spine was raised and his tail was puffed up as he arched his back.

”Don’t scratch her.” Percy warned him. “Just go along with it and it won’t hurt.”

Ravenpaw wished he could cuff the little tom over his ears. This was insane. He was exhausted and sore after having to sleep on the bare floor of his cage. He was humiliated from having to make his dirt in a box where all the other cats could see him. And he was angry that he and his sister were trapped in this place unable to fight back without risking death.

And now there was a two-leg approaching him, her big paws covered in something bright blue and foul smelling. They were reaching for him now and Ravenpaw let out a sharp spit of warning.

”Ravenpaw.” Jaypaw mewed urgently from her own cage. Her blue eyes were wide with fear. “Listen to him.”

Ravenpaw pulled his ears back but he forced his fur to lie flat. He still tensed up and felt his heart hammer in his chest as the two-leg wrapped her large paws around his middle and drew him out of the cage. She held him up and Ravenpaw felt the itch to rake his claws across her face and turn it to a red ruin. But he held back. That would only put himself and his sister in even more danger than they already were.

Percy had been teaching them the words for some of the two-leg things on the other side of the room. Right now the two-leg was carrying him towards the table. Percy said examinations and ‘surgeries’ happened on this table. Ravenpaw wasn’t sure what a surgery was but the way Percy’s mew trembled when he said it, he wasn’t sure he really wanted to find out.

His paws were set on the hard surface and the two-leg stroked her large paw down his spine as if trying to smooth his bristling fur. She was speaking to him in that odd language that Ravenpaw couldn’t understand.

Let her do what she will. Percy had told them when the lights came on that morning, bright and blinding. Give Ravenpaw a dawn patrol any day over that…

An even brighter light was now being shon in his eyes from something the two-leg was holding in her paw as the other held his head still. Then she was sticking something into both his ears in turn, one paw gripping his scruff in a firm hold. Then she was pulling up his lips to look at his teeth, only to escalate in trying to open up his mouth.
Ravenpaw tried to squirm out of her grip but she held him fast. He dug claws into the hard surface of the table lashing his tail.

Then she was grabbing that and lifting it up. Before Ravenpaw could blink something cold and hard was—

He yowled in rage and confusion and tried to whirl around with his claws out, but he was pinned down by the grip on another two-leg he hadn’t seen enter the room. He was paler than the female and carried the scent of old blood on his breath. His hands smelled cold and like sickness and dead. His paws were cold and that made Ravenpaw freeze. It was the cold chill of death.

This two-leg felt and smelled of death. Like a body that had forgotten it should be in the ground. The realization chilled Ravenpaw to his core with the wrongness of it all. The shock made him pliant under their paws as they continued their examination. Running their hands over his pelt. Pressing onto his belly and holding strange cold objects agains his chest and flanks.

And then the female was carrying him back to his cage where he fell to his haunches still stunned.

”Brother?” Jaypaw stared at him in wide eyed concern.

Ravenpaw looked to Percy instead. “What is wrong with that two-leg?” He asked.

The white tom shook his head. “I don’t know… I think he’s sick but… he just smells wrong. I’ve seen him cough up blood so he must be sick.”

”He smells of death.” Ravenpaw felt his pelt prickle like ice at the thought.

And then the female came for Jaypaw. She looked fearful but she didn’t fight back after seeing how that had worked for Ravenpaw. He did his best to give his sister a reassuring look as she was lifted into the two-leg’s paws and carried away.

Ravenpaw looked back to percy but tried to watch his sister as much as he was able. “So… this happens everyday?”

Percy nodded. “They monitor our health for fluctuations. Every small change they mark down as it could affect everything else.”

”I’ve been examined by medicine cats before but never like that.” Ravenpaw shuddered. “That felt wrong.”

”Yes the thermometer is… very uncomfortable.” Percy agreed. 

“That felt violating.” Ravenpaw flinched when he heard the shocked and alarmed noise his sister made when they did the same thing to her.

”I guess I just must be used to it…” Percy laid his head down on the floor of his cage. He seemed… lethargic.

”Are you okay?” Ravenpaw asked feeling a stab of anxiety for the tom as his eye lids drooped.

They’d been fed again that morning, the same chunky wet stuff from the night before. Percy had eaten his without fuss but now he seemed to be struggling to stay awake.

”It must be… a surgery day…” Percy’s mew was weak.

”What in Star Clan does that mean?” Ravenpaw lashed his tail in fear. It was like Percy had been given too many poppy seeds. “Hey. Stay awake. Don’t shut your eyes you hear me.”

”It’s not going to change anything.” Una told him. “Percy is a good kit, they won’t be taking away anything,”

”Take something away?” Ravenpaw asked her watching Percy’s blue eyes slip closed.

”Like my claws.” Una put a paw between the bars of her cage to show him. She flexed her paw… her claws should have unsheathed from that… but Ravenpaw saw nothing. Una had no claws.

He felt his blood run cold. The two-legs had taken this she-cat’s claws… 

“How…?” Ravenpaw asked his voice tight in his throat. 

“I don’t know…” Una said. “I went to sleep one morning and I woke up with all of my paws hurting… and I didn’t have them anymore… walking… standing is so hard now…”

Ravenpaw felt a pang of sadness for the ginger she-cat and her story. It wasn’t right. A cat needed its claws. Ravenpaw didn’t even think he’d be able to hunt without his own claws. No more climbing… he would barely be able to defend himself at all. Purely having to rely on his fangs to draw blood from an attacker.

He couldn’t let that happen to him or his sister. They could not scratch the two-legs before they were sure that they would be escaping right after. To wake up without claws… without a piece of himself that was so vital…

By the time Jaypaw was being returned to her cage Percy was deeply asleep, his flank rising and falling with deep relaxed breaths.

”What happened?” Jaypaw asked staring at the little tom with deep worry in her wide blue eyes.

”He said something about surgery.” Ravenpaw said. “But what about you? Are you okay?”

”I’m fine… I just can’t imagine having to go through that every morning.” Jaypaw shuddered. “But I kept my claws sheathed.”

”Good…” Ravenpaw watched as the two-leg took Una next. “They… they can take away our claws Stubby…”

Jaypaw’s eyes widened in horror. “Our claws?” She hunched in on herself and started to tremble all over again.

”They took Una’s.” Ravenpaw nodded. “And this ‘surgery’ thing apparently happens a lot. Especially to Percy. I think they put something in his food to make him sleep.”

”He looks so small…” Jaypaw was staring at the little white tom, laid out at the bottom of his cage. Still wrapped in those odd thick cobwebs. “We have to get out of here. And fast. I didn’t know how long I can take this sort of thing. Having to eat that disgusting food alone is just too much.”

Rvaenpaw knew their experience couldn’t compare to the cats that had clearly been here for much longer. Their dead eyes and dull pelts… Una’s missing claws and the scar on Percy’s head… the deaths of his parents and littermates. The pain of this place radiated throughout the whole of the space.

And then Ravenpaw’s cage was being opened again. He bristled but let himself be picked up by the female two-leg. He was placed back down onto the examination table. With a small amount of pressure on his back he laid himself down and… something was being pulled and suddenly tightened over his shoulders and back. They’d laid thin strips of pelt over him, trapping him to the table like he was being pinned down. 
Ravenpaw struggled and let out growls and hissed of anger. And then pain as something pierced the back of his neck. It stabbed deep… white hot agony seared down his spine to his tail tip. His legs spasmed out of his control and his tail thumped against the hard surface of the table. 
His throat shredded with the wail of pure agony he released just to express any amount of the pain he was feeling. 
Everything was blurred and far too bright. The agony only faded to a dull ache in his spine and pounding in his head… coming from inside his skull.

”Ravenpaw?!” Jaypaw’s voice sounded far away, like he was underwater. “Ravenpaw! Please!”

He couldn’t answer her. He tried but his jaw merely hung open and his tongue lolled out hitting the cold metal of the table. He couldn’t control it… everything hurt… and like there were ants crawling inside his skin. Black spots were appearing in his vision and then… he knew no more.

---

When Ravenpaw woke his head still pounded as he managed to claw his way to wakefulness. When he did he had no idea where he was. But he could smell something very familiar.

”Jaypaw?” He called, the noise causing his head to pound. “Jaypaw?! Sister?!”

”Im here!” Her mew was muffled but he could hear the relief in his sister’s voice. “Are you okay?! I-I heard you screaming and-“

”I’m fine!” Ravenpaw assured her as he peered around the tight walls of this place, a narrow path forward like a tunnel. “Where are you?”

”I don’t know… my head hurts so much… it’s like a white tunnel…?” He could hear the confusion in her voice.

”I can pick up your scent.” Ravenpaw said.

”I can smell yours as well.” Jaypaw confirmed.

”Maze…” Ravenpaw muttered to himself. “It’s a maze!” He called to her. “Like Percy said, they want us to find each other!”

”I’m coming then!” Jaypaw said urgently.

Ravenpaw opened his jaws to taste the air. There was the sharp stink of those place… but he could still smell his sister so he started to padded forward quickly. Turning his head left to right. Up and down. Going down the twisting paths where he could pick up Jaypaw’s scent the strongest. He wasn’t sure how he was doing it. He just wanted to get to his sister. To press his pelt to hers and bury his muzzle into her soft tabby fur.

”Ravenpaw!” Her cry of joy sounded as he rounded a corner that lead to a larger section of the tunnel. And there she was. Pelt ruffled and eyes bloodshot… but she was there and he bounded for her.

Ravenpaw almost knocked into her twining their necks and pressing his pelt to her’s as he purred loudly. He felt her give his shoulder as few licks as she two began to purr. He rubbed his cheek against hers and pressed their foreheads together.

”Do not go far from me…” he murmured into her ear with a trembling mew. The separation had felt nearly unbearable.

”I don’t know if we have a choice…” Jaypaw murmured back.

Ravenpaw pressed himself close to his sister as a shadow came to loom over them. The female two-leg was standing over them with a… smile on her face. She was smiling and Ravenpaw could see it, could recognize the expression as a smile.

She’d been smiling before too he realized, when he’d been writhing in agony while strapped  down to the examination table. With pleasure… but this was a smile of triumph on her face now. And he could read it when he hadn’t been able to before. They’re done what she wanted…

And somehow Ravenpaw knew as he and Jaypaw were forced apart once more that there was only going to be more pain to come the longer they were here.

He heard his sister gasp and he followed her gaze to Percy’s cage.

Breath caught in Ravenpaw’s throat.

The little white tom was back in his cage. The fur on his head freaking scraped away to reveal pale pink skin. The crescent shaped scar had been cut open afresh. Fresh stitches holding it closed as a trickle of red blood ran down between his eyes. 

His eyes that were wide open and blood shot.

Percy was looking at jaw paw. Shakily… movements odd and jerky he reached a paw out through the bars of his cage towards her. Eyes wide and pleading and full of agony. “Hu…hur…ts…” his voice came out slow and slurred.

But there was no way they could reach each other. Though Jaypaw did try. “we’re here percy,” she mewed keeping eye contact with him. “We’re here,”

Ravenpaw reached his own paws through the bars of his cage and paced it over the white tom’s. His paw was larger… this cat was barely more than a kit… “We’re here.” He whispered as the paw stilled under his for a moment before curling around to hold on. Ravenpaw did the same.

He met his sister’s gaze as he heard Percy’s breathing eased and Ravenpaw saw his eyes slip closed.

”We’re getting smarter…” Jaypaw murmured. “It’s time to learn how to open these cages.”

Chapter 17: Chapter 15

The thick smell of fog filled Trickpaw’s nose when she opened her eyes. She was standing in a clearing… a thick blanket of fog lying over a familiar looking forest. Even through the heavy haze of the mist she recognized the abundance of thin birch trees and dense ferns that made up the forest of Sky Clan territory. Under the smell of moisture in the air were the scents of healthy prey and an abundance of herbs.

Trickpaw raised her head, the tops of the trees vanishing into the dense fog above her. The sun a shining silver disk in the sky. It looked as if the moon was out during the day.

”Return fog to the sky…” she murmured under her breath, padding forward on the forest path.

The earth under her paws felt cool and slightly moist. Rich and perfect for plant growth. Everything around her was utterly peaceful and undisturbed.  The path she was on winding down into the hallow where Sky Clan made their camp.

Trickpaw had never been there before but she was certain that’s where she was.

Cats milled about going around doing the same duties she’d seen her own clan mates preform in Thunder Clan.

Warriors were patching holes in the den or camp wall. She spotted Yarrowflower out side of what must have been her den, the old medicine cat was laying herbs out to dry.

Trickpaw cast her gaze up to the large rock that lay at the far side of the camp. A brown and white tabby tom sat at the top looking down at the peaceful scene with a sad blue eyes.

”Frostbranch…” Trickpaw sucked in her breath. Her paws itched and slowly she padded over to the rock. Carefully she picked her way up to the top and walked up to stand beside the former Sky Clan deputy.

”My choices prevented this future…” Frostbranch murmured in a soft sad mew.

Trickpaw turned to face him in shock. His fur was no alight with stars, his eyes glittering like pools of ice.

”You couldn’t have known…” she said, not knowing what else she could say.

“My mate… many of my kits died because I thought we would have a better life as kittypets than we would with the clans…” Frosbranch sighed gesturing down to the clearing below them.

Trickpaw followed his gaze to a hazel bush den. Outside of it a pretty brown tabby she-cat with long soft fur. Her breath caught in her throat. At her paws frisked six small kits, some rolling around with one another as they played. The seventh, a little white tom was staying close to his mother pressed into her soft fur.

”I could have brought her back with me… we spoke about it many times…” Frostbranch went on. “When our kits were born in that place…” he grimaced. “She gave them clan names.”

“Your son could have that name again.” Trickpaw told him. “We’re here to get him out. To save him.”

”They pay him special attention.” Frostbranch told her. “All of them… something about us was… special.”

”Clan cats are special.” Trickpaw insisted.

”No.” Frostbranch shook his head. “This isn’t about Star Clan or the warrior code.” His tail lashed. “I was never able to fully understand it before my death but… it has to do with something in our blood.”

”Our blood?” Trickpaw asked.

”Yes.” Frostbranch nodded. “Their treatments… they didn’t work on Johana, or many of our kits. It’s something in clan blood that makes it work.”

Trickpaw felt a twisting tension in her stomach. “They captured Ravenpaw and Jaypaw.”

”Then they are in danger.” Frostbranch told her. “There is a way inside. The cat who helps the two-legs uses it to go in and out as she pleases.”

”Where?” Trickpaw pleaded. “We have to get inside as quickly as possible.”

”The roof. There is a way inside if you can get up there.” Frostbranch told her. “I know my other surviving kit… she used it to escape.”

Trickpaw unsheathed her claws. “And she left her littermate behind? Her last family.”

”She was only a kit…” grief twisted Frostbranch’s expression. 

The fog around them was beginning to fade, the forest taking on the glimmering star shine of Star Clan’s hunting grounds. The images of cats still living fading away with the mist. The tabby queen and her kits took on the same star-lit appearance in their pelts. Five of the kits got larger.

The shades of the white tom and the dark tabby she-cat faded along with the fog and the living clan, leaving their mother to sag in sadness.

The other kits all looked to be about five moons old. And they looked up at the rock where their father and Trickpaw sat.

”I will help free your son.” Trickpaw promised the former Sky Clan deputy. “He will be part of Sky Clan. He can have his future.”

”Use the entrance on the roof.” Frostbranch told her. “Each of the cages has a latch on the front. You have to grab it in your teeth. Lift up and press forward.”

He was being so straight forward… direct in a way she’d never heard of a Star Clan cat being.

”The other leaders of Star Clan don’t know you’re contacting me… do they..?” Trickpaw asked a little nervously.

”I will do whatever it takes to save the life of my kit.” Frostbranch told her. “Star Clan wants him with the clans for a higher purpose… but I want him to live a free life. Safe from the things that have been inflicted on him since his birth. A fate that my choices sentenced him to.” He dug his claws into the stone beneath them. “Save him.” He gazed at Trickpaw with pleading eyes. “Save my son,”

”I will.” Trickpaw promised, and followed Frostbranch as he padded down the rock and to his mate and their five kits who had died with them.

He touched noses with the she-cat who purred and then turned to face Trickpaw.

”He was the smallest of my kits…” she murmured. “So small he looked like a tiny wisp of fog…” her green eyes glittered with sadness. “The two-legs in that place named him Percival… but when he was born… I named him Fogkit.”

”Fogkit.” Trickpaw nodded. “I’ll help bring him home.” She dipped her head to Frostbranch’s mate. The former kittypet who now walked with Star Clan.

Trickpaw watched as the family nodded to her and began to walk away into the star-lit forest of Star Clan’s hunting grounds.

---

Trickpaw lifted her head from where she’d had her muzzle buried in Strongpaw’s fur. She sighed and moved to extract herself from the nest. Rowanpaw and Strongpaw were still fast asleep there but Shorthalt was gone.

Trickpaw moved into the small stretch of dirt where they’d made their camp. 
“Good you’re awake.” Shorthalt pushed his way through some ferns. From his jaws dangled three mice. “I thought you could use something to eat when you woke up.”

”Thank you.” Trickpaw felt her mouth water at the smell as she drew the mouse closer with a paw. “How long have you been up?”

”A bit before sunrise. You looked like you needed the sleep.” Shorthalt sat down beside her. “Or that you were having a really weird dream.”

”More like an enlightening dream.” Trickpaw said staking a bite of her mouse.

Shorthalt’s ears pricked up. “Enlightening how?”

”Frostbranch spoke to me in that dream, brought me to Star Clan’s hunting grounds.” Trickpaw explained. 

“Frostbranch? The old Sky Clan deputy?” Shorthalt asked her looking puzzled. “What does any of this have to do with him?”

”The cat we’re here to look for and free… is Frostbranch’s kit.” Trickpaw told him. “So he came to me directly to tell me how to get into that two-leg den.”

”So we can get in there and save Ravenpaw and Jaypaw?” Shorthalt looked at her. “And the cat we came for.”

“And every other cat in there.” Trickpaw nodded. “There’s a small entrance on the roof of the den. We can get inside from there. And he told me how the cages open.”

”Well, Star Clan being direct for once.” Shorthalt let out an amused purr. “That doesn’t sound like them.”

”That’s because it was just Frostbranch.” Trickpaw told him. “He wants us to save his kit. He feels guilty for causing this to happen because he didn’t bring his mate to join Sky Clan.”

”Well why didn’t he?” Shorthalt asked her. “The clans have taken in kittypets before and they’ve done great.”

”He thought they’d be safer with his mate’s two-legs,” Trickpaw sighed softly.

”Well they clearly weren’t if all but one of them are now with Star Clan.” Shorthalt scoffed. “Honestly. Look at what happened. That place isn’t fit for rats to live in, let alone cats.”

”I know.” Trickpaw set her paw over his. “But we’re here to fix it. We know how to get in now.”

”Then it’s time to start planning on how to get up there.” Shorthalt nodded curtly. “Maybe there’s a tree we can climb to reach the roof.”

”I’m sure we’ll be able to figure something out.” Trickpaw watched young warrior. Being a River Clan cat he’d probably never actually climbed a tree before, but it was endearing to hear him think of something that would be hard for him to do in order to help their friends.

”Of course we can. We’re clan cats.” Shorthalt purred.

”I still want to check Strongpaw and Rowanpaw’s injuries before we take any actions though.” Trickpaw told him. “Any complications could slow us down.”

”Right. But it’s still a good start.” Shorthalt assured her. “Star Clan should be straight forward like this more often.”

”It would certainly be helpful.” Trickpaw had to agree.

She couldn’t help remember her first true vision.

She’d seen Slithertail… Amberleaf’s former mentor and father… his fur turning from its sleek grey to hard like stone. His eyes glazing over and rolling back into his skull as his mouth had gaped open… sand spilling out from his jaws like a dry river. Then his body had begun to crumble and crack. Breaking into pieces and spreading out along the sandy floor of the Thunder Clan stone hollow.

Trickpaw would never be forgetting that vision or the scream that had torn itself from her throat upon waking from it.

She understood Silverpaw and her reluctance to sleep because her own nightmares. Despite Amberleaf’s attempts to desren anything from those dreams… it was inconclusive of Silverpaw also had solid connection to Star Clan. Or if the older apprentice had one at all to begin with.

She was just an unfortunate cat who seemed to be cursed with horrible dreams. Only Star Clan knew their origin and they weren’t telling anyone, not even Silverpaw.

Trickpaw did not envy the older she-cat. She vastly preferred her visions, even the horrific ones to nightmares with no point to them. No rhyme or reason to their disturbance of her sleep. Her dreams came from Star Clan, and this last one finally rid her mind of any doubt that may have been there. She had a true solid connection to her ancestors. How else would Frostbranch, a cat she’d never met, have been able to contact her in such a direct way?

Not only that… but he’d shone her a vision of what might have been if he’d made different choices. His mate and kits alive… living happy and free in Sky Clan together. Him as his clan’s leader instead of Wolfstar a cat who’d been ill equipped for the task Star Clan had laid on his shoulders. Just because a cat was a good warrior did not mean that they were meant to be good leaders. And the Sky Clan leader proved that nearly every time he spoke for his clan. The couple seasons since his ascension not serving very well to give him experience and time to grow his knowledge.

According to gossip it was plain that Harvestmoon and Yarrowleaf were effectively leading the clan. With some help from Moonwing, her mate Oakstripe and another warrior named Bearclaw.

Trickpaw took a deep breath. “Things would be so different if he’d brought her to the clan and become leader…” she murmured chewing on her mouse, which now tasted a little stale.

shorthalt looked up from chewing on his own fresh-kill puzzled at her breaking their silence. “What would be?”

”Sky Clan.” She said. “Well all the clans really. If Frostbranch had just decided to bring his mate to live with the clan instead of living with Johana’s two-legs.” Trickpaw clarified.

”Oh.” Shorthalt thought for a moment. “Would it really though? Isn’t one leader much like another? You know unless they’re a murderous fox-heart.” He shrugged. “Like how Cinderstar was.”

Trickpaw blinked. “What? Cinderstar wasn’t-“ she cut herself off. This was the first she’d ever heard of the former Shadow Clan leader being a murderer. “Yes every leader is different.” She said slightly shocked. “Sky Clan is a mess right now. Why else do you think they couldn’t send a cat to at least come help us out?”

”Because we’re just apprentices.” Trickpaw half snapped. “You were only made a warrior a moon ago.” Her heart was pounding. She and Strongpaw had only been training for that long. They were barely out of the nursery!

”Imma great warrior.” He protested looking slightly offended. “Star clan didn’t send the dreams to any Sky Clan cats that’s why.”

”No it’s because they couldn’t spare any experienced cats.” Trickpaw hissed under her breath, not wanting to wake the others.

”What are you talking about?” Shorthalt’s eyes widened. 

“You have haven’t heard this from Twilightstep?” She asked her heart sinking.

”Heard what?” Shorthalt asked looking panicked.

”Um…” Trickpaw flinched. Had that been a secret she wasn’t meant to be sharing around? “That WolfStar is floundering as leader and that the clan is being held together by the deputy, medicine cat and three experienced warriors.”

Shorthalt’s eyes went wide and for a moment he looked slightly panicked. Like he was hearing about the death of a clanmate. “Oh… it’s that bad?”

”Yes… the stress is why Yarrowleaf thinks Moonwing lost her first litter…” Trickpaw lowered her head, remembering how gaunt the red eyed she-cat had looked the last time she’d seen her. Ribs visibly jutting from her usually sleek white pelt. 

Shorthalt coughed a visibly pulled himself together. “Well… they must have faith that Star Clan is doing this to help them quickly?” He didn’t sound so sure.

”Because something happened that they didn’t see.” Trickpaw whispered. “Something they couldn’t bend any more then what we’re doing now to fix it…”

”What do you mean?” Shorthalt was staring at her.

”This is all happening for a reason… because it was the only way Star Clan could do to fix what they’d already failed to predict..,” Trickpaw shivered. “Something was controlling this…”

Shorthalt was looking slightly shocked. “Something More powerful than them?”

Trivkpaw nodded. “And now there’s something about the seven of us. Us and that white tom are supposed to set right.”

Shorthalt gulped. “Ooh…?” He sounded more than a little terrified. “Really? Us? I mean I’ve only been a warrior for a moon and the rest of you are just apprentices. Not to mention it sounds like this seventh cat is barely more than a kit.” He let out a loud but nervous laugh.

”That kit is the son of the leader who never was, Shorthalt.” Trickpaw said seriously. “Star Clan sent us here to retrieve Sky Clan’s further leader…”

Chapter 18: Chapter 16

Notes:

I’m finally back from vacation. Which means back to work on all of this. Sorry for such a long wait!

Jaypaw groaned as light shone brightly through her eyelids. Her muscles were sore from lying on the hard metal of the floor of her cage. What she wouldn’t give for a nice nest of moss and fern. 

“Stubby.” Ravenpaw’s voice reached her making her ears swivel in that way.

”Yeah.” Jaypaw raised her head and blinked through. “What’s happening?”

”Shh.” Ravenpaw hissed pressing his body to the bottom of his cage. He flicked his tail tip to the right.

Jaypaw followed his lead, lowering herself down to the floor and flowing his gaze.

Down the line of cages stalked Anna. The dark tabby was peering into each cage that she passed. Jaypaw unsheathed her claws when she and the older she-cat locked eyes. But she remained quiet, knowing she didn’t need to give this cat a reason to make an example of her like she had with Percy.

The tom in question was pressed as far back into the deepest depths of his cage to put as much distance between them as possible. Anna’s gaze pinned him down like a fox and the fur rose on Jaypaw’s shoulders.

Leave him alone, you fox-heart! What sort of cat enjoyed hurting kits.

“Nothing to say Percival?” Anna’s tail curled in pleasure at the fear in his blue eyes. 

Percy remained silent his gaze never leaving the she-cat’s. His chin lifted in slight defiance. At least he still had some fight felt in him.

Anna paced back and forth in from of Percy’s cage. “You used to be so much more fun.” She purred. “Nothing smart to say now though? No witty retort?” She waited, sneering at the small tom.

Percy glared at her but remained stubbornly silent, his tail flicking back and forth.

It was a tense stare down between the two of them, as if they were having a debate with their eyes alone. But it was Anna who blinked first turning her face away in frustration. It was clear she had a job to do and wasting her time hurting the small tom wasn’t worth it at the moment.

Anna continued to stalk her way down the lines of cages once more.

Jaypaw locked eyes with Percy across the gap and the small tom gave her a nod, seeming to relax from his tensed up position. 

When Anna was completely gone Jaypaw spoke. “Does she do that a lot?”

”The check in or the intimidation?” Percy asked nonchalantly, giving his chest for a few licks. “Because both are common for her. She comes to check on us all fairly often when it’s not a testing day.”

”What’s her issue with you?” Ravenpaw asked the smaller tom.

Percy shrugged, licking his paw and drawing it over his whiskers. “I’m smarter than she is.” He said. “Now the only thing she has that I don’t is physical strength and that’s because she’s larger.”

”you still have kit fluff on your ears.” Cinderstar hissed from the depths of his own cage.

Ravenpaw growled softly deep in his throat.

Percy simply drew himself up, at least he had that stubborn streak that clan cats were know for. Jaypaw could see the beginnings of what would be the strong muscles of a Sky Clan cat. The ones that would help him climb and jump through the trees easier than even a Thunder Clan cat.

”I still complete the tests faster than you do.” Percy said with an odd Pride in his voice.

Cinderstar let out a hiss. “No kittypet is better than a clan cat. Let alone a leader.”

Jaypaw saw a wild look in the former leader’s harsh amber eyes. His jaw was twitching in a disturbing manner.
Some of the other cats seemed to have these twitches as well. Martinet especially, and it was strongest in his eyes and tail.

I hope I don’t start twitching like that. Jaypaw thought helplessly.

”He’s not a kittypet,” she spoke up, surprised by how steady her voice was. “His father was Sky Clan’s deputy.”

Percy looked at her oddly, as if no one had ever stood up for him before.

Cinderstar sniffed derisively. “Sky Clan.” He spat the word like a curse. Then he turned away, deeper into his cage with his back to them.

”You’re stubborn like a clan cat that’s for sure.” Ravenpaw said, a slight smile on his face.

Percy shifted on his paws. “It’s the one thing I have to be proud of.” He said as if that was normal.

Jaypaw exchanged looks with her littermate. Ravenpaw looked just as uneasy as she felt.
Percy would have to learn to fight. In Sky Clan he would be given a mentor. He would be hunting and doing battle practice if they made it out of here and back to the clans.

If…

Jaypaw wasn’t sure how they could. Though she could still see the hole they’d made in the window mesh, the window was closed. And of course they were still trapped in their cages so that didn’t exactly matter at the moment. If they couldn’t get out of these cages then they couldn’t go anywhere at all.

The only time they were opened it was for testing… more injections.

Jaypaw was still sore in her neck from her last treatment. The burning tearing sensation of the injection was still just as agonizing as the first. Like her blood was burning under her skin, and her eyes would pop out of her skull.

Percy was watching the two of them with those sharp blue eyes. Always thinking, always observing. As if he was trying to pick out what they were thinking by their expressions alone. Then he lowered his head and his eyes. That sharpness softening, so he looked just like any other six moon old kit. Curious and unsure, as if he were an apprentice meeting his mentor for the first time.

”What are the clans like?” He asked in a soft voice.

Jaypaw curled her tail over her paws and purred despite herself. “Well we’re from Shadow Clan, not Sky Clan. All of the clans are different.”

”Sky Clan is friendlier.” Ravenpaw stated.

Percy blinked at them. “The two of you are friendly.” He said.

Jaypaw twitched her whiskers in amusement. “Some of the others are okay too. He’s just talking about our father, he’s the clan leader.”

”And he’s a fox heart.” Ravenpaw added before Jaypaw could confide. “Be glad you won’t be coming back to Shadow Clan with us.”

Percy curled his tail around himself. “But I don’t know anyone in Sky Clan.” He looked at them with those large, clear blue eyes. “I know you…”

Really? Why couldn’t Sky Clan send a warrior to come with us? Jaypaw thought helplessly. If they did get free and back to the clans… what would they do if Percy didn’t want to go to a clan where he knew no one?

”We can figure that out when we reach that point.” Ravenpaw said his voice oddly soothing. The same tone he’d use when she was uneasy or scared from a nightmare. “But right now we need to be working on a way out.”

Percy nodded. “Opening the cages.” He said under his breath, his eyes seeming to focus again. How they could go from soft of feather to sharp as claws was jarring.

”Do you know how?” Jaypaw pressed him.

”Yes, reaching them is the problem.” Percy pressed his paw through the bars of the front of his cage. He tried to reach for the latch of the cage door but even with claws unsheathed he couldn’t reach it. There was a Barrier there and the bars were too narrow for Percy to reach more of his foreleg through them. “As you can see, they were made to prevent such things.”

”You’re saying they can only be opened from the outside?” Ravenpaw scraped his claws agains the hard surface of his cage floor. “Can’t we get a stick or something?”

Percy’s ears twitched. “I’ve never even seen a stick, unless you count the glass ones they use to mix compounds.”

That statement made Jaypaw feel a pang in her chest for the younger cat. “Well think of something.” She told him. “We have friends on the outside remember?”

”Right. They’ll be out there looking for a way to get into this place.” Ravenpaw nodded in agreement.

Percy nodded his lead lowered. “I can walk them through moving the latches properly.”

”We know. And we’ve seen them get opened too.” Jaypaw mewed. “Once one of us is freed it’ll go much faster, and then all of us can get out of here.”

”Yes… all of us.” Percy said, his eyes glazing over with grief.

She knew none of these cats meant much to him, even though they were all suffering together. There was very little affection between any of them, except maybe Leofric and Una. Hardly any of them spoke at all and Jaypaw didn’t know their names. Often she could forget they were there until she saw pelts moving with the depths of the cages.

They were all broken and had no light in their eyes. They weren’t like the bright, jewel like eyes of clan cats. Their colors were dull. Muted of any vibrancy or life.

Percy’s eyes were bright though. Bright but fearful and far too old. Too heavy to be the eyes of such a young cat. To be the eyes of kit. 
Jaypaw knew those eyes. She’s seen them in older warriors. The ones who’d lost clan mates and kin. Who’d seen more battles than they could count.

”And you can come back with us.” Ravenpaw said. “And meet the other cats properly.”

”We’ll teach you how to hunt.” Jaypaw addded, watching Percy’s ears prick up in interest. “You’ll love it. A mouse tastes so much better than any of the food you get here.”

Percy seemed to settle and Jaypaw wished that they weren’t separated by the cages. This cat… he’d been denied the warmth and comfort of another cat’s pelt against his own. He’d been separated from his mother and littermates. Robbed of that comfort at far too young of an age.

Jaypaw knew that pain, but at least she’d had her brother to curl up with in their nest. Their noses pressed into each other‘s fur. 
Percy didn’t even have that comfort.

Well at least all of them had developed a habit of all curing up together in one large nest. 

Percy would have no shortage of warmth and soft fur to press against for the comfort he’d been robbed of. 

At least while they traveled together… he’d have it for that long before he’d need to go to Sky Clan. Maybe some Queen there would see his need. Maybe… Jaypaw wasn’t sure if Sky Clan had any queens. Sure Moonwing had lost her litter but would she and Oakstripe be trying again so soon?

”I’d like that.” Percy murmured. “Learning something new and useful.”

Jaypaw purred quietly, but the twitch of his ears told her that he could hear her all the same.

She couldn’t wait to herd the small tom into the center of their small group’s soft nest so warm pelts would surround him. If he’d let them of course. She did t want percy to feel trapped by anything ever again once they were out.

Percy laid his head on the floor of his cage, looking tired.

”Rest.” Ravenpaw told him. “With Leofric and Una gone for testing you might be next. You’ll need your strength.”

”And now you’re giving me advice how to survive here.” Percy’s eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement.

”well I’m older than you.” Ravenpaw said slightly teasing. “So you’d better listen.”

Percy raised his brows at the black tom his eyes soft. Teasing. Like littermates.

Jaypaw felt comfort in that. Though it might cause problems in the future… that could be dealt with later. For now… if Percy needed it they could all be his littermates. They could make sure he felt safe.

They just had to get out of this place. Then they could take their time going back to the clans. 

Star Clan light our path… Jaypaw prayed silently. Let us get out of here safely with him at least.

Even if they couldn’t save the others they had to save themselves and Percy.

---

The next morning they were woken as usual by Delilah walking into the cage room. Everyone was given their morning food as usual. All except for Percy.

This meant surgery, Jaypaw knew. Luckily her and Ravenpaw hadn’t been subjected to that… but Percy seemed to constantly.

He never really fought back outside of a little squirming when Delilah would pick him up in her hands. The two-leg’s large hands made him look so small.

Jaypaw watched with trepidation as she grabbed Percy by his scuff before pulling out a syringe and pressing the needle into his neck.

Percy let out a tiny squeak of pain, but no more than that. His eyes went wide and then they began to unfocus as whatever the substance was began to take effect.

Jaypaw unsheathed her claws, just wishing she could claw Delilah’s eyes out as she held the little tom up and tucked him close to her chest.

And then the two-leg was walking away with him.

Jaypaw hated it. Percy always came back with a new scar. The one on his head being reopened or a completely new on would be present.

Percy’s fur only looked so short because the two-legs were constantly scrapping away his fur to get at his skin to easily cut it open. To spill his blood in such a sickeningly clean manner.

Come on guys… hurry up out there. Jaypaw wanted to hiss. To urge the others to hurry up and get here and inside to help them. It was only a matter of time until they were subjected to an operation next. Something other than the mazes and image cards they’d been doing since their first injections.

Testing them… 

Monitoring their minds…

Just like they did with Percy.

Hurry…

 

Chapter 19: Chapter 17

Night had fallen on the two-leg place and four cats crept through shadows, careful to stay out of the odd spots of artificial lights. 
Rowanpaw worried about Trickpaw’s white pelt sticking out even in the darkness. But the medicine cat had insisted on coming. After all. It was her who Star Clan chose to speak to. Well one Star Clan cat in particular. Frostbranch. Sky Clan’s old deputy and the father of the cat they were meant to be rescuing.

All they had to do was get up onto the roof of the horrible smelling two-leg den and find the  secret entrance. And of course defeat or sneak past the cat who that entrance was for.

Rowanpaw felt her blood freeze when she heard the loud crunching of a leaf. All of them froze as still as stone.

”Sorry…” Strongpaw meowed under his breath. “I stepped on a leaf.” 

Shorthalt huffed softly. “Watch where you’re putting your paws. I nearly leapt out of my pelt.” He hissed.

”I said sorry.” Strongpaw insisted.

“For Star Clan’s sake keep moving before we’re spotted.” Rowanpaw hissed at them all, fear at the idea of being caught out here in the dark terrified her.

Trickpaw kept silent and flicked her tail for the rest of them to continue following her. 

The two-leg den was dark. The stretch of Thunder path stuff in front of it lit by those odd branchless trees. But there wasn’t a sleeping monster in sight.

”How do we get up on the roof?” Strongpaw asked, his mew as soft as he could possibly make it.

Trickpaw lifted her nose to the air and parted her jaws. “There’s living cat scent this way.” She beckoned the others with her tail.

Of course she had to specify living cats. This whole place reeked of death. So strong even though they were outside.

Trickpaw lead them to a set of small black platforms that climbed up from the close cut grass at the back of the den all the way up into the roof.

”I guess we climb it like a tree.” Strongpaw stretched out his forelegs, flexing his large claws. “No big deal.”

”Speak for yourself big guy.” Shorthalt rolled his eyes. “Not all of us climb trees to catch our dinner.”

”It shouldn’t be too hard to climb.” Trickpaw said. “And keep your voice down. This is enemy territory now.”

They all nodded in agreement. Of course the Thunder Clan cats climbed up the odd structure first, since they would be the fastest.

Rowanpaw went next, carefully picking her way up one platform at a time until she reached the top. There Strongpaw hooked his teeth into her scruff and hauled her the rest of the way up. He was careful to avoid the still healing wound on her neck.

As they waited for Shorthalt to make his way up they all took stock of their surroundings up here. The floor of the roof was like standing on a thunder path, but the chunks of rock were much smaller. There was a small wall at the edge of the roof all except for the gap they’d just climbed over. There were a few odd silver two-leg things as well, along with a shiny box that buzzed like it was full of bees. Rowanpaw crept closer to it and found that it was blowing out odd smelling hot air.

”Oh Star Clan…” Shorthalt panted as Strongpaw helped pull him up onto the roof. “How do you do that kind of thing everyday?” The River Clan cat was staring at the two Thunder Clan cats as if they were magical.

”Practice.” Trickpaw told him in a hushed voice. “There will be time to do that later. We need to look for the entrance. Look for a two-leg door.” 

It didn’t take very long. The roof wasn’t all that large, but Rowanpaw was the first to reach it. She saw what must have been the entrance. A small flap of translucent two-leg stuff that hung over a small gap in the large two-leg door. Rowanpaw reached a paw out and pressed it. It gave easily and swayed back and forth from the force.

Excitement fizzed under her pelt and she looked over her shoulder for the others. “Guys! Over here! I found-“

And something slammed into her knocking the breath from Rowanpaw’s chest. Frantically she scrambled, claws scraping at the hard, gritty ground so she could twist and face her attacker. It was the dark tabby she-cat. Anna.

”You again.” She hissed, keeping Rowanpaw pinned bellow her as Strongpaw, Trickpaw and Shorthalt closed in. “What do you want? Why are you here?” She demanded.

”We’re here for Fogkit.” Trickpaw hissed. “To return him to his father’s clan.”

Anna’s tail curled in amusement. “Fogkit?” She let out derisive hiss. “Yes I remember all of those ridiculous names Johana and Fredric gave their kits. Juniperkit, Cloudkit, Whisperkit, Otterkit, Lakekit, and Kestrelkit. I gave them much better names. Julius, Vesper, Whitney, Oliver, Ludwig, and Cassandra. Fogkit, is Percival.”

Strongpaw snarled. “You can’t name another queen’s kits!” He spat, shoulder fur spiking up with his rage.

”As far as I’m concerned he is my kit.” Anna stated. “And I won’t let some flea bitten forest strays take him from me-“

Rowanpaw chose that moment to kick out with her hind legs, landing a solid blow on Anna’s soft underbelly. The tabby staggered and Strongpaw and Shorthalt raced forward to bat her away from Rowanpaw and Trickpaw.

“Are you okay?” Trickpaw asked urgently as Rowanpaw skidded to a stop at her side.

”I’m fine, she only knocked the breath from me.” Rowanpaw assured her. While it had hurt it was nothing compared to what she was sure this cat was capable of.

Strongpaw was locked in a furious tussle with Anna now. The two of them nothing but a tangle of limbs, tails, and flashing claws. Blood spattered the surface of the roof and for a moment it looked like Anna had the upper paw. Her forepaw was raised ready to strike, Strongpaw was under her.

”Strongpaw!” Trickpaw’s wail of alarm seemed to make time freeze.

Rowanpaw watched as Strongpaw twisted onto his back much as she had. She saw his muscles bunch and his hackles tighten. And then his hind legs bucked into Anna’s belly, claws unsheathed. The force of the blow didn’t just knock the wind out of her. It didn’t just send her staggering and falling to the ground. It sent her flying. Right over the gap in the roof wall and into the darkness below.

And then the world caught up to them as the thud reached them even from this height. The gasps of pain soon followed and all four of the rushed forward to peer over the ledge.

Anna lay on the short cut grass her body splayed out on her side as she fought for breath that had been forced from her body. Rowanpaw saw that one of her paws was bent at an awkward angle. She must have landed on it wrong and that was why she had fallen.

Shorthalt chuckled. “She’s gonna feel that in the morning.” His whiskers twitched. “Not too bad for a bunch of flea bitten forest cats huh?”

Anna glared up at them, though she seemed to not have the strength to lift her head.

”Come on.” Trickpaw had already turned back to the two-leg door and the cat entrance. “We can gloat later, we’ve got cats to rescue.”

Rowanpaw raced to her side and so do the others. One by one they squeezed themselves under the flap of two-leg stuff.

The small of this place was like running head first into a tree. Sharp and horrible and  unnaturally clean. But even that couldn’t fully hide the smells of sickness and death that permeated the whole space. Cold floors made of odd slick stone put Rowanpaw in the mind of walking over rotten ice. She half expected it to crack beneath her paws and for freezing water to swallow her whole.

”This way.” Trickpaw whispered. “I smell cats.”

Rowanpaw could smell it two. But there was something off about it.

“I smell Sky Clan.” Shorthalt added as they neared a dark door. A few doors they’d already passed had the same cat sized flap at the bottom. This one did as well.

”Come on then. This must be the one.” Trickpaw excitedly squeezed herself through. There was a brief silence before Rowanpaw moved to follow her.

And then the halls of the den were echoing with the shrill, horrified caterwauling of the Thunder Clan Medicine cat apprentice.

All three of their pelts spiked up on end and Rowanpaw dove in under the flap.

”Trickpaw!?” She called peering around in the dark for the little white she-cat. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?!”

Strongpaw and Shorthalt tumbled in after her.

”Buddies?!” Strongpaw was able to find his friend the quickest.

Trickpaw hid her face in the thick fur of his chest. “Oh Star Clan… it’s… I’m going to be sick…”

Rowanpaw didn’t have to look much far to see what she was talking about. The thing that had struck her so deep to her core.

Rowanpaw was almost sick right there and then. And hearing Shorthalt gag behind her didn’t help.

on in the corner of the room… were cats. Frozen and stiff. Posed with glassy eyes and unnatural rigidness. Their pelts were limp and speckled with dust. The scent of death clung to them. And… the scent of Sky Clan.

Fadefeather had once described Frostbranch to her. He’d been a broad shouldered brown and white tabby with ice blue eyes.

That cat sat stiff and lifeless in that corner posed so he was peering into dusty but soft looking kittypet bed. 

Posed so that she was laying in that bed was a grey tabby she-cat. Maybe she would have been pretty in life. Around her neck was a blue kittypet collar.

but what really turned Rowanpaw’s stomach were the kits. Snuggled against their mother’s lip and cold belly fur. Their eyes closed in a mockery of sleep.

”These…” Trickpaw’s voice was a trembling whisper. “These were the cats in my dream…” she looked at the tom. “Frostbranch… his mate… and their kits who died…”

That time Rowanpaw really was sick. She turned and vomited on the cold and shiny stone floor. She had to look away. It was too horrible. Why would two-legs do that? Even ones as cruel as those who would make a place like this.

”Let’s get out of here.” Shorthalt said after a long pause where all that could be heard was their own trembling and the pounding of their hearts in their ears.

”We can’t just leave them!” Trickpaw protested. “They need to be buried properly. A vigil held! They-“

”We can’t possibly move them out the way we came.” Shorthalt argued. “We need to focus on the living cats that we can save. Fogkit, remember? Ravenpaw and Jaypaw. They still need us.” With every word he gentled his mew. 

Trickpaw looked up at him. “But they’re Fogkit’s kin.”

”And he doesn’t need to see them like this.” Shorthalt stated gently. “When we take him back to Sky Clan he can sit vigil for them there. But this.” He twitched his muzzled in the direction of the staged scene. “No cat should have to see their kin reduced to… that.”

Trickpaw took one look back at Frostbranch and his familie’s staged bodies. The wrongness of it all clawing at their throats and hearts like a swarm of rats. The small she-cat nodded stiffly and walked on unsteady legs back to the flap in the door. She slid through it numbly. Strongpaw was quick to follow after her and he was followed by Shorthalt.

Rowanpaw also took one last look before sliding through herself.

That should be a bed of moss. She thought. And they should be living… Frostbranch should have his nine lives and leader’s mark…

But they were nothing but stiff bodies. All that was left of what should have been a truly happy family. Safe and free… living with their climates.

Rowanpaw forced herself to turn away and follow the others back into to cold hallway. They still had friends to find and cats to free. What they couldn’t do for the dead, they would do for the living.

Chapter 20: Chapter 18

“What was that word the two-leg used earlier?” Ravenpaw asked and Percy gave an amused purr.

”Fuck.” He said. “He cut his finger on the scalpel and said fuck.”

”Fuck.” Ravenpaw repeated a purr beginning to rumble in his own throat despite the chilled quiet that permeated the facility with all the two-legs gone and the lights out. “What does it mean?”

”We have no idea.” Leofric mewed, his whiskers twitching. “But they mutter it under their breaths a lot when things go wrong.”

”It’s kind of fun to say.” Jaypaw’s tail curled in amusement. “Fuck.”

“It’s weird to understand what they’re saying.” Ravenpaw mused licking his jaws. While the wet kittypet food didn’t taste good it was all he had and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste when the alternative was an empty belly.

”You were able to before?” Percy asked.

”We weren’t.” Jaypaw confirmed. “It just sounded like low growling to us before. Not words.”

”have you always been able to understand them?” Ravenpaw asked the younger cat.

”I think so.” Percy nodded softly. “But I thought that was normal.”

”you were born here.” Una said. “The rest of us came off the streets.”

Percy lowered his head and pulled his ears back as if that had been something within his control.

That’s when they heard it. The loud, terrified shriek of a cat that echoed from the halls of the facility. Every cat in their cages froze at once, not even a whisker twitching.

But there was nothing to follow but the soft buzz of the air conditioner coming to life to blow yet more frigid air into the room.

”What was that?” Una’s soft mew cut through the quiet.

”It sounded like a cat.” Leofric’s mew was breathy and hushed.

”There are no other cats here.” Cinderstar lashed his tail once.

Ravenpaw looked at his sister through the darkness and they both came to the same conclusion without needing to say a single word to each other. The others are here. We’re about to be free.

”Everyone stay quiet.” Leofric said after that.

”Oh forget that.” Ravenpaw put his paws to the bars of his cage. “Make noise so they can find us.” He threw his head back an let out a yowl.

Jaypaw jumped up and joined him adding her voice to her brother’s.

”Shut your mouths now.” Cinderstar snarled, his claws scraping the metal of his cage. 

Percy looked at the other cat’s nervously, his blue eyes wide. He looked between his fellow lab cats and the two clan apprentices. He hesitated for a few more heartbeats before throwing his own head back to add his yowl to theirs.

Ravenpaw stopped when he heard the scraping against the smooth polished stone of the floor of the hall outside. And then the cat flap swung forward and a dark ginger head appeared.

”Rowanpaw!” Jaypaw gasped. “Over here! We’re here!”

The Wind Clan cat slid her slender body through the cat door where she was followed by Trickpaw, Strongpaw, and finally Shorthalt.

”Oh thank Star Clan. Are you all okay?” Ravenpaw asked them. “We heard screeching.”

”We’re okay.” Rowanpaw waved her tail. “Trickpaw just walked into a really creepy part of this den.” Her pelt visibly shivered.

”But we’re here now.” Trickpaw said quickly, moving to the front of Ravenpaw’s cage. “When I tell you push this forward.”

The black tom nodded and watched as the medicine cat hooked the latch of the cage in her teeth. She lifted it out and pulled and that when Ravenpaw reared up and pushed. There was a click and the door swung open. All of a sudden Ravenpaw’s whole pelt tingled.

”Come on. Now with the others.” He said rushing to his sister’s cage. As helped Jaypaw open up her own he heard Trickpaw move over to Percy’s cage.

”Hello Fogkit.” Trickpaw’s new was friendly but Percy backed up all the way to the farthest depths of his cage.

”That’s not my name…” he murmured, his ears pulled back to his head as if it were Delilah or Anna looming over him.

”Trickpaw don’t crowd him.” Jaypaw brushed past her brother once she was free and nudged Trickpaw out of the way gently with her muzzle. “Percy, it’s okay. These are the friends we told you about. They’re here to help.”

His ears pricked up and he raised his head again. “It’s time to leave?” He sounded as if he were lost in a dream.

“Yes.” Jaypaw nodded. “Will you come with us?”

Percy hesitated for a few moments and dread coiled in Ravenpaw’s belly for that short pause. Was he so scared that even the promise of freedom felt like a trap?

”Yes.” The little white tom got to his paws and Jaypaw hooked her teeth onto the latch. As the cage swung open he stumbled out. Ravenpaw had never seen him this close before. The odd patchy quality of his pelt was even more prominent now. Left uneven by the many times patches of it had been scraped away by the two-legs.

Jaypaw was there to help steady the younger tom and Ravenpaw moved to Percy’s over time.

”What about the rest of these cats?” Shorthalt asked looking at the other cages.

”You can’t seriously be thinking about leaving us here!” Leofric hissed.

”Of course not!” Rowanpaw jumped up and started to try and climb up to the higher cages. 

“I’m coming.” Strongpaw rushed over. He lowered his head and suddenly Rowanpaw was balancing on the much larger Tom’s broad shoulders.

”Great!” Rowanpaw purred as she too started to move the latch of Leofric’s cage.

One by one each door was opened until.

”No way.” Shorthalt hissed. “We’re living this one right here.” He was looking into Cinderstar’s cage.

”Typical River Clan coward.” The former Shadow Clan leader. “Go swim away then.”

”Shorthalt we can’t leave anyone here. It’s too horrible.” Ravenpaw hissed shifting the young warrior out of the way.

“Ravenpaw do you have bees in your brain?” Shorthalt hissed as the cage latch clicked. “He’s a murderer!”

Ravenpaw stumbled back as the dark ginger tom slid out of the cage easily. All the cats froze as he regarded them all with those off amber eyes. “So, it seems one of you is old enough to know why I was cast out of the clans.” He focused on Ravenpaw and Jaypaw. “You two must be Silvereye’s half clan spawn. He was the most loyal deputy I could have had. Up until the end. Shadow Clan needed a leader who honored the old ways after all.”

Jaypaw’s neck fur bristled. “Loyal To himself maybe.”

Cinderstar purred in mock amusement. “He was a good deputy. If I were to pick anyone to lead the clan while I was gone I’m glad it could be him.” He was completely focused on Jaypaw now. “You have soft fur just like your mother did. Soft fur for a soft naive cat. Thinking she has a place in Shadow Clan just because she’s carrying Shadow Clan kits.”

”What is that supposed to mean?” Ravenpaw hissed as he watched his sister shift uncomfortably.

before Cinderstar could speak again they were interrupted. “Now is not the time.” Leofric hissed, his tail held high and his fur bushed out. “Let’s just get out of here right now.”

Trickpaw nodded. “Back the way we came in?”

”Theres no other way, the window where we scratched that hole is closed.” Jaypaw said keeping her eyes on Cinderstar and drawing Percy closer to her with her tail.

”Follow me.” Rowanpaw raised her tail and took the lead.

Ravenpaw just watched Cinderstar and stayed close to his sister and Percy. The younger tom seemed to be nervous by the number of new cats around him. The other lab cats seemed indifferent towards him so he sought comfort from the two Shadow Clan cats.

Rowanpaw lead the group of cats through the building quickly, up some stairs and to another cat door. One by one they all slunk through it. Percy hesitated again at the pure scent of fresh air and freedom.

”Come on.” Jaypaw looked at him through the flap. “We’re almost there.”

Ravenpaw gave the younger tom a gentle nudge from behind. “Jaypaw is right out there. I’m right behind you.” He promised and watched as the little white tom carefully pushed through the flap. Ravenpaw followed quickly.

”Now we just have to climb down.” Rowanpaw was clearly already flush from their victory, even if they weren’t entirely clear of the facility yet.

”Percy’s never climbed anything before.” Jaypaw said. “How is he going to get down?”

”he can ride on my back.” Strongpaw offered. “And I’ll go slow.”

Ravenpaw turned to Percy. “You can trust him. His name isn’t Strongpaw just because he’s big.”

Percy looked at Strongpaw and the large apprentice gave him a friendly smile.

”Alright.” Percy was making an effort to keep his voice steady. Carefully he climbed up into Strongpaw’s back where he sunk his claws into the thick grey fur.

”Let me get down first.” Jaypaw said moving to the odd stairs on the side of the den. She made quick work of the climb before looking up from where she stood on the very short grass.

Ravenpaw watched as Strongpaw began to climb down as well but backwards so Percy wouldn’t slip off his back. The small tom had somehow managed to wrap his forelegs around the large Tom’s shoulders and cling on. His muzzle pressed into the thick grey fur.

”Where’s Anna?” Ravenpaw turned to Rowanpaw.

The Wind Clan cat’s eyes widened suddenly and she looked down to where Jaypaw was standing again and fear crept in. “Oh no…”

”What?” Ravenpaw asked, a bubble of apprehension forming in his stomach.

”She fell down there. Strongpaw pushed her and she landed wrong.” It was Trickpaw who spoke, realization dawning in her blue eyes.

”And now she’s gone.” Rowanpaw breathed.

”everyone one guard.” Shorthalt said raising his nose trying to catch the she-cat’s scent.

”You’re saying you didn’t kill her?” Leofric demanded.

”Warriors don’t kill unless we need to.” Rowanpaw countered still searching the ground as one of the lab cats climbed down.

”How is that going for you?” The older tom shot back moving to help Una climb down next. Ravenpaw had noticed how they pressed close to one another. To two of them were mates. And without claws Una would find climbing hard.

it was slow going, getting everyone down to the ground. Una wasn’t the only cat missing their claws.

”Will you come with us?” Percy asked Leofric and Una.

the other lab cats all exchanged looks. 

“To the clans?” Another white tom spoke up. “No way.” This tom had red eyes, like Moonwing in Sky Clan and Icefang in Shadow Clan.

”Are you Moonwing’s kin?” Ravenpaw asked the tom.

The tom lifted his muzzle. “Vee she was called back when she was our eldest sister. A blood traitor. Kin slayer.”

Ravenpaw felt an odd shiver at those red eyes. “Suit yourselves then. If you think this two-leg place is safer than the forest then you can go.”

A few of the dull eyed cats slunk away with the white tom. Leofric and Una paused and then Martianet spoke.

”back to the ally then.” He said looking at the two cats. They both nodded and moved to follow him.

Ravenpaw looked around and saw as the other cats slunk away… Cinderstar was nowhere to be seen. But his scent was still strong. And so was another.

”Ravenpaw lookout!” It was Percy who shouted before a heavy blow carried Ravenpaw off his paws. 

He flailed and struck out with his claws unsheathed. When his back hit the ground he looked up to see Anna’s malignant eyes glinting down at him. 

“Not so fast.” She growled raising a paw. “Everyone! If you help me get these little kits back to their cages I’ll let you go free!”

Ravenpaw watched as Una, Leofric and Martainet fled out of sight along with several others. But some stayed, and Cinderstar slipped out of the shadows.

Ravenpaw struggled as he heard the sounds of battle explode all around them. He went limp, waited for Anna’s grip on him to loosen before he twisted and kicked out, not at Anna but off the ground shooting himself out from under her paws.

”Percival!” Anna snarled. The little white tom was swiping ineffectively at the muzzle of a calico she-cat  who was backing him up against the facility wall. “Lay down! You know what will happen if you don’t.” Her voice was poisonous honey.

Percy’s wide eyes may Ravenpaw’s. No! You can’t have him! Ravenpaw raced forward tackling the she-cat away from the younger tom. He dug his claws through her fur and raked them down her flanks. He sunk his teeth into her shoulder as they went tumbling, and didn’t let go until she ripped away from him and pelted off into the shadows. “Percy, run!”

Too late, Ravenpaw turned and his heart dropped at the sight. Percy under Anna’s claws, a deep tear in his left ear. Some of his fresher surgical scars freshly bleeding from the stitches being popped.

”Percy!” Jaypaw’s yowl turned Ravenpaw’s head. His sister was supporting Trickpaw with on one shoulder. The medicine cat’s right eye was half closed and bleeding from a long scratch that had been left across it.

”You’re a good kitten aren’t you Percival?” Anna cooed. “You know what happens when you break the rules.”

For a moment the world froze and Ravenpaw watched as Anna lifted a paw, her claws glinting in the artificial light of the two-leg place. Then he saw Percy twist, his body turning as the paw, Anna’s injured paw came down to cause yet another serious injury. But the blow missed its mark, barely grazing Percy’s cheek as he twisted his head around and sank his teeth into Anna’s flesh. The she-cat shrieked in shock that the little tom was fighting back. She tried to jerk her paw away but percy didn’t let go.

Anna reared up on her hind paws to try and throw him off but percy just clamped his jaws down tighter. Anna flailed and hissed and twisted.

Ravenpaw was about to jump in and help the little tom as he was practically of being tossed around before there was a sickening snapping sound. 
He saw the little Tom’s body go flying to tumble onto the short grass.

”Percy?!” Jaypaw raced over to the little tom, Trickpaw at her heels.

Ravenpaw only let himself feel a little relief when he saw that Percy was still breathing. With Jaypaw’s help he began to struggle to his paws, something still clamped tightly in his jaws.

Anna was limping away, and her right paw remained in the vice grip of Percy’s teeth.

”Come on, let’s get out of here while we can.” Ravenpaw panted as Jaypaw gently coaxed Percy to open his jaws and drop the paw. Nothing could make up for the pain Anna had caused him… but at least he’d been able to leave his own large mark on his way out.

all of them were battered but not heavily injured as they rushed through the two-leg place. Ravenpaw didn’t stop to look for Cinderstar, all he had in his mind was them all getting back safe to their little camp outside the city.

It was slow going with their injuries but they made it back just before sunrise.
Trickpaw got to work right away on making poultices for everyone’s wounds including her own.

”Our first battle.” Strongpaw actually looked exhilarated by the past events.

”Hey. We got away, that’s what’s important.” Jaypaw said, carefully licking Percy’s bleeding ear as Ravenpaw sniffed at his sister’s pelt searching for any injuries on her.

”We all just need to rest, maybe a day or two.” Trickpaw said as she began to chew up the herbs. “We have plenty of time now to get Fogkit home.”

Percy looked at her with deep apprehension but he didn’t open his mouth to protest. He laid his head down as the poultice was lathered onto his wounds with the gentle paws of the medicine cat. “Or is it Percy?” Trickpaw asked him.

”That’s what they always called me… Or Percival,” Percy said, Jaypaw was continuing to lick his ears to comfort him.

”Well Percy, rest up. You did good.” Trickpaw purred.

Ravenpaw had to admit it had been impressive. Percy had never seen a day of warrior training, had probably never raised his claws for anything close to self defense. But he’d fought back and he’d won. He was free now. And they would be bringing him back to the clans after all.

Chapter 21: Chapter 19

Trickpaw smelled smoke. At least that’s what she thought it was. She never seen a fire but Wheattuft had told her a story about a fire he’d seen when he was just an apprentice. She opened her eyes and lefted her head, expecting to see a vision of fire and swirling smoke. What she saw instead was the sunrise, and the little white tom they’d come all this way for looking directly at it.

Percy’s back was to her and the large nest the rest of the questing cats were sharing. The last day Percy had slept through. The tom had a lot of injuries that had been caused by the two-legs and Anna. Many had reopened furring the fight and subsequent flight from that horrible two-leg den he’d been trapped in. Trickpaw realized that this must be his first sunrise. The first he’d seen outside of the cage he’d grown up in.

He’s feeling the ground under his paws for the first time. Trickpaw slipped from the nest and padded over to sit next the tom. The two were of a size, but Trickpaw had always been small and Percy still had kit his kit fluff. He couldn’t have been older than six moons.

”It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Trickpaw let a soft purr slip out.

”I’ve never seen so many colors…” Percy admitted looking down at his paws.

”Your first sunrise when we reach the lake will be even better.” Trickpaw told him. “There’s nothing better than seeing a sunrise over your home.”

Percy pulled his ears back. “Is it really my home if I’ve never been there?” He asked looking at Trickpaw now with wide frightened eyes.

”It is your home.” Trickpaw assured him. “It’s where your father was born.” She didn’t know if any of Frostbranch’s kin still lived in Sky Clan so she couldn’t promise Percy that. “Once you set paw into the camp you’ll know.”

Percy seemed to consider that. “Do I get a mentor?” He asked. Ravenpaw and Jaypaw must have explained a few things to him while they’d been inside the two-leg den together.

”You will. They’ll be a warrior of the clan and they’ll teach you how to hunt and fight. But first they’ll show you around the territory, so you can know it like your own pelt.” Percy looked at his patchy, uneven pelt and Trickpaw touched her tail tip to his shoulder. “Your fur will grow back, don’t worry.”

”Ravenpaw and Jaypaw told me that they’d teach me to hunt.” Percy said. The two Shadow Clan cats had left their little camp before sunrise to go hunting for the group. Trickpaw still wanted to give it a day before they tried to set off back towards the lake.

”Oh we can teach you some things.” Trickpaw agreed. “But your mentor will do most of that.”

Percy opened his mouth to speak again when the grass at one side of the camp shivered. Ravenpaw’s head appeared, three mice dangling by their tails from his jaws. Jaypaw followed him quickly, a squirrel clamped in her jaws.

”nice catches.” Trickpaw purred as the two Shadow Clan cats set their prey down.

”I didn’t expect there to be so much prey this close to a large two-leg place.” Ravenpaw swiped his tongue over his jaws.

Percy was staring at the prey with wide eyes. Jaypaw smiled and pushed the squirrel towards him. “Here. You, me and Ravenpaw can share this.”

”I can go out and hunt some more.” Rowanpaw offered. Trickpaw hadn’t seen the Wind Clan cat wake but she was now shaking bits of fern from her dark ginger pelt.

”You might need to.” Trickpaw said. “Maybe just one more mouse will do.”

”Can do.” Rowanpaw whisked her tail and vanished into the grass.

Jaypaw was showing Percy how to get around the fur of the squirrel to expose the warm flesh of the fresh-kill underneath.

”Here, try it.” She coaxed.

Percy dipped his head and sank his teeth in. His expression melted into pleasure and his eyes fell closed as he pulled a strip of meat free and chewed. A purr rumbled deep in his chest and Ravenpaw and Jaypaw looked pleased.

”Much better than that kittypet mush right?” Ravenpaw mewed.

Percy nodded emphatically, waiting for the other two cats to take their own bites of the prey before he took another.

By then Strongpaw and Shorthalt had pulled themselves out of the nest. 
“Just wait till you try fish.” The River Clan cat purred.

Percy looked at him oddly. “But don’t only River Clan cats eat fish?”

Shorthalt purred in amusement, “All the clans share the lake. The fish is there they just don’t hunt it.”

”Because it tastes odd.” Strongpaw said pulling one of the mice close to him with his claws.

Shorthalt cuffed the larger cat over his ears. “Speak for yourself squirrel chaser.” He said teasingly.

Percy watched them with his ears pulled back. He’d never seen cats play together before, Trickpaw realized.

”Once you’re done eating Percy I’ll check your wounds again.” She said tucking into her own mouse along with everyone else.

Rowanpaw was back soon enough, a vole in her jaws. “There’s so much prey here.” She purred. “Why would those other cats run into the city when they could be out here where there’s food?” She settled down with the rest of them to eat.

while the other licked scraps from their whiskers Ravenpaw showed Percy how to burry the prey bones once they were done. “This is so we don’t attract vermin and other predators.” He explained. 

Percy nodded seeming to understand. “And to keep things clean.” He mewed.

”Exactly.” Ravenpaw purred. “See? You’ve got a clan cat’s instincts.”

Percy ducked his head in embarrassment, his chest fur fluffing up in slight pride.

”The prey will taste even better when you kill it yourself.” Jaypaw told him. “We’ll show you while we’re traveling back to the lake.”

”Alright, wound check everyone.” Trickpaw said moving to her small stash of herbs.

The other questing cats plus Percy lined up so she could easily check their injuries. Strongpaw had a long scratch on his shoulder but it was already scabbed over and was showing no sign of infection when she checked it. She made sure to give the tear in his ear a check as well but it looked about as healed as it was ever going to be.

Trickpaw moved on to Shorthalt who had a bad bite on his left hind leg. But it seemed to be doing alright. Just to be safe Trickpaw spread a fresh poultice over it and she would check it again the next morning.

Rowanpaw was nearly unhurt other than a scratch on her cheek. Trickpaw gave it a few quick licks to make sure that it was clear of any bits of leaf that may have gotten in from their nest.

Ravenpaw had been the most battered. He’d wrenched his claws in that short tussle with the calico she-cat and he had a long scratch on his back. Both injuries seemed to be doing okay as they healed, Trickpaw just wished the black tom was a little less reckless. He through himself into fights without much if any thought.

Jaypaw had a bite wound on her tail, and like Rowanpaw she had a scratch on her cheek. But wounds were healing well and scabbed over. Much like with Shorthalt’s bite wound Trickpaw added fresh poultice to the wound.

When she got to percy she sniffed each injury he had. She didn’t smell any infection, but the thin cut on his belly and the scar on his head looked red and inflamed. Percy had so many wounds it made her heart ache. He had claw scratches down his back. A thin wound on his neck. Then there were the wounds from their fight, the cut on his cheek and the tear in his right ear.

Trickpaw had him lay down as she applied poultice to all of his wounds, hoping to kill any infection that may be trying to take hold. Then she coaxed him back to the nest and told him to rest. 
The younger tom didn’t argue, he just closed his eyes and curled up in the nest of bracken with his tail laid over his nose. She waited for his breathing to even out and soften before she looked at the others.

”With his injuries I want us to stay at least a few more days.” She told them.

”But he seems fine,” Shorthalt said. “He walked here without any trouble, even after Anna tossed him around.”

”He’s used to pain.” Ravenpaw said. “Hiding it is how he survived. He has nearly as many scars as Moonwing.”

”But we have to get back soon.” Rowanpaw said. 

“Plus Cinderstar is still skulking around here,” Shorthalt pointed out, his tail twitching nervously.

”You called him a murderer.” Trickpaw spoke. “Were you being truthful or dramatic?”

Shorthalt stared at her. “You mean none of you know?” He asked.

”Know what?” Ravenpaw asked.

”Cinderstar killed Quickstrike of Thunder Clan.” Shorthalt said, grief creeping into his eyes. “Softsong from River Clan. And he helped Moonwing’s kin attack the clans.”

”So that’s why he was deposed as leader.” Jaypaw’s eyes widened. “How horrible.”

”He’s insane.” Shorthalt nodded. “Like, forget bees, he’s got a whole nest of bats in his brain.”

All of them exchanged looks.

“So…” Rowanpaw kept her voice low. “If Moonwing’s other kin are here… and that tom called her a kin slayer.”

”She killed her father during the battle.” Shorthalt said. “Everyone knows that.”

”We didn’t,” Jaypaw hissed. “We didn’t know any of this.”

”You were still wet behind your ears then.” Shorthalt pointed out. “Warriors don’t just tell kits these things.”

”Moonwing used to tell us really great stories.” Strongpaw purred.

”Until Wheattfuft found out.” Trickpaw let her amusement show. “I hope Oakstripe has softened her a bit if they’re going to have kits together.”

”That Tom’s heart is softer than thistle down.” Jaypaw purred. “I’m sure he’s made her very happy.”

”Moonwing was happy in Thunder Clan before Quickstrike died.” Rowanpaw spoke. “Fadefeather told me about it. Moonwing was very close to him and Sunblaze. Like really close.”

”Why bring up all this accent history?” Ravenpaw asked. “Cinderstar has no power now. He’s here not at the lake so what does it matter?”

Privately Trickpaw had to disagree. She dismissed herself to go search for some fresh herbs. 
Really a lot of things seemed to be connecting themselves in her mind. If Cinderstar had killed Quickstrike that had to have happened after his exile. Moonwing’s move to Sky Clan had been rather abrupt in her memory after that. And she had a vague memory of her and Sunblaze having a huge fight that had almost come to blows.

She didn’t know why they had fought… it must have been over Quickstrike’s death. He had been Moonwing’s friend as well as Sunblaze’s mate after all. Maybe she would ask Amberleaf about it once they returned to the lake.

Then there was that smoke smell. It had vanished as soon as she’d opened her eyes but… it still made Trickpaw uneasy. She was sure it was a warning of some kind, but of what she couldn’t be sure of without more clues.

Chapter 22: Chapter 20

It was three days before Trickpaw said that it was safe for them to start on their journey back to the lake. If Jaypaw was honest she was dreading it. Dreading returning to Shadow Clan where she and her brother would be under their father’s paw again. 
We’ll probably be shifting ticks off the elders for the same amount of time we’ve been gone. It seemed like the kind of thing Silverstar would do. With the excuse that they’d left Pinepaw alone to do all the chores and that is was only fair that they make it up to their fellow apprentice.

She and Ravenpaw hadn’t talked about it. They didn’t need to. They both knew that returning would mean going back to punishments just for existing. For having to rely on only each other.

One thing that hurt the most was knowing that they would be leaving Percy in a clan full of strangers. With a name that would sound odd in his ears. The little white tom wanted to be close to them. When the group would settle together in that large nest he would curl up between her and Ravenpaw. 

Aftwr beginning to eat proper food Percy began to become more energetic. He was finally recovering from having to constantly use his energy to heal wounds. The drugs the two-legs had fed him were working their way out of his body.

On the first day of their journey back they couldn’t keep him on path, having to track the tip of his white tail peaking up from the green stalks. At least he knew that walking in the thunder path was dangerous. 

Jaypaw still worried that Percy would hurt himself. This was his first time seeing everything, what if he crossed the path of an adder? 
“Come on sister.” Ravenpaw purred as they watched Percy bob and weave around the clusters of bulrushes that dotting the wide stream they were walking beside. The thunder path  was still in sight but no one wanted to Walk right next to it. “Don’t be a nosey mother duck. He’ll be fine.”

Jaypaw baulked at his words, her pelt growing hot. “I’m not being a nosey mother duck!” She hissed. “I’m trying to make sure he gets back to Sky Clan whole and alive.”

”Oh he’ll be fine.” Shorthalt purred in amusement, watching Percy jump from one smooth stone to the next, from one side of the stream to the other. “Just look at him. He’s definitely a Sky Clan cat.”

That was true. Percy could jump. Though still thin and gangling, with the fluff of a kit still clinging to his pelt, his hind legs were powerful, his paws made for hard ground. The first day of travel he had finally broken down saying that his paws hurt him.

Trickpaw had treated the sore and raw pads with dock leaf juice, and everyday Percy got stronger.

”we should be nearing the barn now.” Rowanpaw spoke up. “The one where we met Prowl, Leo and Lucky.”

they all nodded. “It would be nice to stay there for a night.” Trickpaw agreed. “Let them know that everything went okay.”

”They weren’t pulling our tails about that place, that’s for sure.” Ravenpaw muttered with his head lowered.

Jaypaw knew he like her still felt sore at the back for his neck from the injections. Those horrible shots that had made them feel like they had ants crawling under their skin. That swirled around in their heads like eels. 

“It was truly horrible.” Jaypaw agreed. “I’ll never forget the taste of that kittypet mush.” She knew her tongue would never feel the same again after tasting all that salt.

I feel sorry for kittypets, their tongues must be so numb all the time.

“Oh look, Percy found a turtle.” Shorthalt purred in amusement.

Jaypaw looked over to see the white tom crouching down at the edge of the stream, staring wide eyed at the shelled creature. He reached out a paw and patted the top of the shell and watched as the creature retracted its head inside its shell.

Jaypaw let out a purr and padded over to Percy as he curled his paw back under his body. He looked up at her as she approached. “What is this?” He asked.

”It’s a turtle.” Jaypaw told him. “They hide in their shells to protect themselves. But we don’t hunt them.”

Percy nodded pushing himself up into a sitting position. “Because of the shell.” He seemed to understand. “That makes sense.”

”Are you having a good time?” Jaypaw asked him as they walked to rejoin the others.

”It’s nice to be able to run.” Percy said with a wistful gaze. “And to jump. I never knew that I’d be so good at it.”

Jaypaw purred. “It’s in your blood, Sky Clan cats hunt up in the trees a lot, so they have to be good at jumping.”

Percy looked down at his paws. “I never knew.”

Jaypaw touched his shoulder with her tail tip. “Your mentor will teach you to do that. You’ll be jumping from branch to branch in no time.”

That seemed to ease his worry somewhat and he looked up into the trees. She could only imagine that Percy was picturing what that would be like, leaping through the trees as if he were flying over the ground. Jaypaw thought it sounded wonderful. To be above the forest floor and anything that might be trying to hurt her. Many of the large beasts in the forest couldn’t climb trees like cats could, and Sky Clan were the only clan that hunted largely in trees. They even attacked from the trees if the older warriors of Shadow Clan could be believed.

When they paused to hunt around Sun high Jaypaw and Ravenpaw took Percy with them.

“Come on.” Ravenpaw raised his tail. “We’ll show you how to do the hunter’s crouch.” The black tom lowered himself to the grass, keeping his tail tucked close to his body. “Like this.” He told Percy. “You try.”

Percy nodded and tried to copy the hunter’s stance Ravenpaw was showing him. Jaypaw walked closer to him and carefully helped him set his paws the correct distance apart. “There you go.” She purred. “Now try creeping forward slowly. Be careful where you put you paws to you don’t step on any leaves.”

Percy nodded and very slowly began to creep forward with his body lowered close to the ground. He was so thin that his belly fur barely brushed the grass below him. But he was being very quiet, his tail was being held still and steady, he even had his ears pulled back.

Jaypaw knew he’d find it harder to hunt with his white pelt. “That’s good.” She told him. “Can you scent any prey here?”

Percy paused and carefully pulled his body up so that he was standing again. He opened his jaws in the same way he’d seen the other cats do. Of course he’d recognize prey scent from the prey he’d eaten over the past few days.

”I can smell mouse.” He told them after a moment.

”You can follow it.” Ravenpaw told him. “We’ll hang back and watch you.”

Percy gave a nervous twitch of his ears. “Are you sure? I just learned this.”

”You’ll do great.” Jaypaw told him. “And if not it’s not a big deal, we’re out here to hunt as a group. There’s plenty of time for you to get the hang of hunting.”

Percy gave her a nodded and turned back to sniff the air again. She and Ravenpaw watched the tom start to creep forward, slowly lowering himself into the hunter’s crouch once more.

Jaypaw and her brother lowered themselves as well, silently following the younger cat through the forest.

Jaypaw froze when she saw the mouse. It was sitting on its hind legs and grooming itself with little front paws. Its whiskers and ears twitched as its front paws scrubbed over its face several times. It was sitting at the tangled roots of a beech tree, probably where the mouse kept its burrow.

Percy froze when the mouse moved and began to scurry around the roots. It paused to sniff then moved on to another patch of earth. It was looking for something and then paused the duck under a leaf. When the mouse appeared again it had a beech nut held in its little jaws. It sat back on its haunches and began to nibble at its prize.

Percy began to creep forward once more, his whiskers quivering and his blue eyes stretched wide. 
Jaypaw held her breath. The mouse was distracted and Percy was being silent as a shadow, if all be it a white one. Percy was going to have successful first hunt and—

And then the wind changed direction blowing the scents of the three cats towards the mouse. It paused in its nibbling on the beech nut, its body completely still other than its quivering nose.

Jaypaw watched as Percy’s muscles bunched under his uneven pelt. His tail tip twitched and that movement disturbed a leaf.

The mouse bolted and Percy raced after it. Percy’s paws slammed down on nothing, though his claws missed the mouse by a whisker. The little creature vanished among the beech roots, leaving percy to lash his tail and hiss in frustration.

“Bad luck.” Jaypaw mewed raising herself fully to her paws. “It happens.”

”That was a good bit of stalking though.” Ravenpaw told the younger tom. “Better than Stubby’s first hunt. She didn’t even get close to the mouse she was chasing.”

“Hey, that is not true.” Jaypaw protested as Percy’s whiskers twitched.

”could I watch the two of you hunt instead?” Percy asked them, it was clear he was feeling a bit bad for missing his catch. A blow to his confidence would probably make his hunting worse.

”Of course.” Jaypaw purred. “You can try again when we get to the barn. There’s plenty of mice there and they’re fat, so they’ll be easier to catch.” She placed her tail tip on Percy’s shoulder and watched the tom relax.

Percy only watched after that as she and Ravenpaw hunted. Together the two of them caught two mice, a vole, and a pigeon.

Percy helped them carry the prey back to where the others had decided they would meet. Of course they were the last to join the group thanks to the little hunting lesson they’d given to the younger tom.

”Oh did you catch that Percy?” Rowanpaw asked brightly, seeing the pigeon dangling from the Tom’s jaws.

Percy ducked his head in embarrassment as he set the birds down on the prey pile. “No… Ravenpaw did. I’m just helping carry.”

”He did nearly catch a mouse though.” Jaypaw cut in. “The wind just wasn’t on his side.”

”Bad luck.” Shorthalt nodded sagely. “I’ll teach you to fish at some point during this trip, no need to check the wind then.” He patted the carp he’d laid aside for himself. “What to try some?” 

Percy looked at the fish with some skepticism, “how?” He asked.

”Oh, right.” Shorthalt used his teeth to pull back the skin and scales to expose the odd striped flesh of the fish. “Here you go. Have a bite.”

Percy lowered his head and took a small bite of the probably cold flesh. He raised back up and chewed thoughtfully for a moment as the others watched him for a reaction. He swallowed. “Not bad.”

Shorthalt purred in response. “See told all of you he’d get it.”

”Eh,” Ravenpaw rolled his eyes, hooking the pigeon up with a claw and batting it over to Percy. “He’ll need to try more birds. Thats a lot of what Sky Clan eats.”

Percy looked puzzled but excepted the prey and settled down to eat it as the others picked their own pieces from the pile.

---

It was three more days before they caught sight of the small horse barn where Prowl, Leo and Lucky lived. The sun was setting over the hills and the horses were grazing peacefully.

Percy was staring at the large animals with interest. The tom was always thinking, always watching when he could. Jaypaw couldn’t imagine what it was like to see the world for the first time after so long living in a cage. To see the world as new.

”Are these cats friendly?” Percy asked her, padding quickly to catch up with the group.

”Oh yes. They let us stay a night with them on our first leg of the journey.” Jaypaw told him. 

“Their barn is full of fat mice.” Strongpaw added, swiping his tongue over his jaws with a dreamy expression on his face.

As they neared the fence Jaypaw caught sight of a fluffy tabby tail, and then a white and brown tabby face was peaking out of them from behind the post. The green eyes told her that this was Prowl.

Rowanpaw purred seeing the tom as well. “Prowl!” She mewed in greeting.

The tom slipped out from hiding his tail raised in greeting. “You made it back!” He padded over to them. “How did it go? Are all of you okay?”

”It was a little rocky.” Trickpaw admitted. “But we’re all ok now and we found the cat we were looking for.” She gestured to Percy with her tail.

The younger tom bucked his head at being introduced to this stranger. Prowl gave them all a friendly nod. 
“You’ll have to tell me all about it.” He said. “But first you must be hungry,” he turned and gestured them to follow him with his fluffy tail.

The clan cats fell into step behind the loaner, who raised his voice to call out to his brother and the older she-cat that the two of them lived with.

Leo and Lucky came out of the woodwork of the barn, Leo with a mouse in his jaws.

”You’re all okay!” Lucky purred warmly, her sharp eyes catching Percy at once. “And this must be the cat you were looking for.”

”This is Percy.” Trickpaw told the loaners. “We’re bringing him back to the lake so that he can join Sky Clan.”

Prowl and Leo were taking in the patchy quality of Percy’s fur. “He’s so young.” Leo observed.

While the others talked Jaypaw lead Percy away, her brother joining them.

”Come on. Let’s get some hunting done.” She said. “This place is crawling with mice,”

Percy nodded and sniffed at the musty air of the barn. He sneezed and shook his head, raising a paw to rub at his nose. Ravenpaw let out a soft purr. 

“I’m sure you smell a ton of them.” He said to the white tom who nodded in response.

”They smell different than the mice in the forest.” Percy observed, angling his ears to listen for the skittering of tiny paws all around them.

”That’s because they eat this stuff.” Jaypaw hooked a stalk of the yellow straw in her claws. “It’s what makes it so dusty in here too.”

Percy nodded in understanding and she watched as he dropped into a hunter’s crouch as he caught sight of a rather fat mouse across the straw strewn floor from them. The little creature was indeed nibbling on a small stalk of the hay that it held in its tiny paws.

Percy started to creep forward on silent paws. Jaypaw was impressed with how quickly he’d taken to the hunting stance. It had really just been a string of bad luck that the tom hadn’t caught any prey yet. But there was no changing winds here. These mice were used to the scents of cats, a few more wouldn’t send them into survival mode.

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw watched silently as Percy prepared to pounce. He was at a good distance and the mouse was still completely unaware of his presence. And then the small tom leaped forward, his paws slamming down onto the prey, its little squeak of terror cut short by a killing bite.

Jaypaw wanted to jump up and down and congratulate him, she held that in and just purred. “Well done!” She waved her tail in the air happily. 

Ravenpaw however did rush forward, circling the younger tom as he purred. “That was a perfect catch.”

Honestly brother, he’s not a little kit. Jaypaw rolled her eyes fondly.

”You can settle down to eat Percy.” She told him as he dropped the mouse at his own paws. 

“What about the rest of you?” Percy asked. 

“Oh we can catch enough for ourselves fast enough.” Ravenpaw said. “Go, enjoy your first fresh kill. It always tastes better if you caught it yourself.”

Percy nodded and bent to pick up the mouse again before Jaypaw remembered something important.

”Oh, you should give thanks.” She mewed.

Percy paused and raised his head again to look at her. “Give thanks?” He asked her. 

Jaypaw saw Ravenpaw rolled his eyes behind Percy but she ignored her brother. “Yes, when clan cats catch prey we give thanks to Star Clan. You say, ‘thank you Star Clan for this prey’.”

Percy looked slightly puzzled. “Why though?”

”Something about being humble and thankful or whatever.” Ravenpaw said. “Your mentor in Sky Clan will tell you to do it so it’s best to get into the habit.”

”It’s to honor the life of the prey, it’s killed to be eaten not wasted.” Jaypaw amended, giving her brother a look.

Percy looked down at the mouse and gently laid his paw on it and closing his eyes. “Thank you Star Clan for this prey.”

The rest of the hunting went by quickly. Percy had gone to help Trickpaw bring together enough hay to make a large nest for their group. He didn’t settle down with the mouse he caught until all the others had their own prey to eat.

All it the cats, clan cats and loners settled down to eat and chat together. It was a good feeling and Jaypaw wanted to hold onto that. It was only a matter of days now for them to stay together.

Soon it would just be her and her brother alone again. Looking out for each other in a clan of cats who barely cared for them. Sure they were clan mates… but they were also half clan. Their parents had broken the Warrior Code. Silverstar was the clan leader so Shadow Clan blamed their Thunder Clan mother for not following the code properly.

As they settled down in the nest together Jaypaw swiped her tongue softly over Percy’s ears to dislodge a bit of hay stuck in his white fur. The younger tom purred and nuzzled deeper into the nest and between her and Ravenpaw.

Her brother wrapped his black tail around the white tom and Jaypaw did the same. This is what they would miss most she knew. Being close to other cats. Being able to share prey and tongues with friends who were more than just clan mates.

Star Clan… please let us find a way to keep things this way… it’s so wonderful.

These cats felt more like family than the cats they’d known nearly all their life. And Jaypaw knew that her brother felt the same. She saw the way he looked at Rowanpaw. 
These cats were important to the both of them. If they could keep these bonds past this mission… that would be worth any punishment waiting for them back in Shadow Clan.

Chapter 23: Chapter 21

Ravenpaw felt as if a stone was sinking in his gut as the moore lands that lay outside of Wind Clan territory came into his vision. Rowanpaw let out a happy purr and waved her tail in the air. 

“We’re almost there!” She looked over her shoulders to the others.

Percy was standing near Jaypaw sniffing the air tentatively. They could smell the Wind Clan border from here and the scent of so many strong cats must have been strange to him.

Ravenpaw just couldn’t believe that this was almost over. He and Jaypaw would be returning to their clan by sunset. Back under their father’s paw. He wondered if Darkwhisker’s lots had been born yet. Would Silverstar let him and Jaypaw play with them? He hoped so. Dark whisker seemed to soften him, if only slightly.

”I smell Thunder Clan.” Strongpaw spoke up excitedly.

”Thats strange.” Rowanpaw said. “This is no where near Thunder Clan territory,”

”We should reach the lake first.” Trickpaw said. “So we can all take Percy to Sky Clan,”

The tom in question was looking at his paws nervously. It seemed the end of their journey was hitting him as well. 
And now we’re going to be leaving him with a clan full of strangers. Ravenpaw thought bitterly. How is this fair?

”Why are we smelling Thunder Clan scent all the way out here though?” Jaypaw asked sniffing a small clump of ferns.

Ravenpaw bent down to take in the scent as well. Then everyone looked up as they heard a voice, deep and friendly.

”Because Larchstar asked me to come escort you young ones back into Clan territory.” A blue grey and white tom had appeared from the high grass.

”Blueheart!” Trickpaw and Strongpaw gasped seeing the senior warrior.

The tom purred deep in his throat. Percy had retreated behind Jaypaw and Ravenpaw, who’d closed ranks around the smaller tom. Ravenpaw was getting an odd feeling and looking at his sister he saw in her face that she was getting the same impression.

Something isn’t right here.

”We don’t need an escort.” Ravenpaw said holding his head up high. “We’ve made it this far, we can make it to Sky Clan just fine on our own.”

Blueheart’s whiskers twitched, he seemed amused by that. “Wouldn’t you rather go back to Shadow Clan? I could take the young one to Sky Clan and the rest of you could go home.”

Ravenpaw felt Percy press his pelt to his.

“No. We can take him home. He won’t go with you.” Jaypaw spoke up, a bit harsher than her brother had.

”Hold on,” Trickpaw said stepping between the two Shadow Clan cats and her clan mate. “We can let him escort all of us.” The medicine cat said reasonably. “We could be taken more seriously with him if we meet a border patrol on the way to Sky Clan.”

”We’d have to wait at the border anyway.” Shorthalt pointed out. “But I don’t see an issue here. Let’s just go down to the lake.” He gave Blueheart a nod.

A ripple of agreement seemed to pass through their group, and Ravenpaw dug his claws into the grass. But he and Jaypaw seemed to be out voted here. Percy wasn’t speaking, seeming to think because he wasn’t officially a clan cat that he didn’t get a say.

”Percy.” Ravenpaw spoke to the younger tom. “What do you want to do?”

Everyone including Blueheart looked at the white tom who seemed uneasy at that attention from the senior warrior. Before Percy could open his mouth the Thunder Clan cat spoke up.

”So this is the cat Star Clan wanted you to bring back to Sky Clan?” He seemed to purr. “For his fresh perspective.” That notion seemed to amuse the warrior now that he could see Percy, who was small and still looked underfed and had patchy fur.

That vailed insult rose the fur on Percy’s shoulder. “Star Clan must know what they’re talking about then. The only reason I’m still alive is because my mind had a use. If I was useful to two-legs I’ll be invaluable to the clans.” The little tom drew himself up to his full night and did his best to look Blueheart in the eyes.

Ravenpaw thought he caught a flash of something dark in the warrior’s eyes at those words, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. Blueheart merely curled his tail over his back and turned in the direction of clan territory.

“Who knows why two-legs do the things that they do.” He seemed to shrug. “But let us be off. I’m sure all of you want to be back in your own nests by sundown.”

Not really. Ravenpaw thought to himself. He was going to miss sharing one large nest with all these cats. Rowanpaw and Percy especially. He and the Wind Clan cat hunted so well together. They worked as though they’d always trained together. And having Percy near him and his sister felt as if they had another littermate by their side. Someone else to look after. It didn’t feel right to leave him in a clan where he knew no one. He wasn’t even sure if any of Percy’s kin still lived in Sky Clan.

Ravenpaw knew how important it was to have kin among the clan. When all he had was his sister and their fox heart of a father he often felt like an outsider in the place and with the cats that he was supposed to feel loyal to. And right now he felt more loyal to these cats here at his side than he ever had with Shadow Clan.

If Silverstar found that out… well Ravenpaw didn’t even want to know what his father would do about that. Best case he would kick the two of them out of Shadow Clan. If so then maybe they could go across the border to Sky Clan instead. Or even Wind Clan. But… Silverstar might also keep them trapped in Shadow Clan. He did have a habit of liking to make them miserable. There was no shortage of punishments that the leader could give them for their disloyalty.

At least all of the others seemed to be glad to returning to their clans. Rowanpaw was striding across the moore purring as if she was saying hello to an old friend. She looked right at home as the breeze ruffled her dark ginger fur. Her green eyes glittered with excitement.

”I can’t wait until I see my father again.” She was mewing, it took Ravenpaw a moment to realize she was talking to him. “I’m going to tell Fadefeather everything about our journey. I hope she thinks we did a good job.” she ducked her head slightly nervous.

”We’re alive aren’t we?” Ravenpaw asked her with a smile. “We brought Percy back to the clans like Star Clan asked us to.”

”Yeah…” Rowanpaw had to admit.

”And we freed all those cats.” Ravenpaw pointed out. “Even Cinderstar.”

Blueheart’s ears flicked back noticeably. “This way now.” The warrior lead them into the tree line that marked the border between Wind Clan and Thunder Clan territory. But they weren’t going in the direction of the lake.

”Where are you taking us?” Trickpaw asked the senior warrior padding up to his side. “We’re supposed to be going down to the lake to wait for a Sky Clan patrol.”

Blueheart turned to her, an odd look in his eyes. “You really met Cinderstar in that place?” He asked in a harsh mew.

Trickpaw halted in her tracks and so did the rest of them. Ravenpaw could feel his neck fur riding, getting more of that uneasy feeling. He drew Percy closer to him with his tail, keeping his eyes on the Thunder Clan Warrior.

”We did.” The medicine cat said. “But we know he isn’t a good cat so we didn’t bring him back with us. He was deposed from Shadow Clan for a reason.”

Blueheart’s whiskers twitched and he turned to face the young cats with that dark look in his eyes. “And what reason was that?” He questioned, his tail tip twitching back and forth as if he was stalking mice.

Ravenpaw dug his claws into the earth. “He’s a murderer.” He spat.

”He killed Quickstrike, Blueheart.” Trickpaw said almost imploring. “Our clanmate.”

Blueheart let out a derisive snort. “A clanmate who spent most of his time with a she-cat who doesn’t have a drop of clan blood in her.”

Trickpaw looked shocked and took a few steps away from the warrior, blue eyes wide

”Moonwing was his friend and foster sister.” Strongpaw growled. “They were as good as kin.”

”But they weren’t kin.” Blueheart spat. “Moonwing isn’t a warrior, she will always be a rogue.” His eyes searched all of them and landed on Percy. “Just like this one will always be a kittypet.”

Percy’s neck fur bristled but before he could speak Jaypaw stepped between him and the warrior. “Percy is a clan cat! He’s Frostbranch’s son!”

That brought a mocking glint into Bluesheart’s eyes. “Oh yes, the coward to shirked his responsibly to his clan to run off and become a kittypet. Such an honorable cat, truly.” His voice was sarcastic as he started to circle the younger cats. “Well what do you expect? Him to become Sky Clan’s leader? No, that will never happen.”

Ravenpaw caught the glint of unsheathed claws, so he unsheathed his own. “Maybe you should go back to Thunder Clan. We’ve got this from here.” He hissed, not breaking eye contact with the warrior.

”Yeah, you can just tell Larchstar that you missed us.” Trickpaw reasoned, now looking very uneasy.

”No.” Blueheart’s voice was low and dangerous. “None of you are going anywhere.” he lowered himself to leap. 

“Scatter!” Jaypaw yowled.

The younger cats all dashed off in different directions. But Ravenpaw spun around when he realized that Blueheart was chasing Percy and Trickpaw. So he raced in that direction, a protective rage surging through him like fire. Before the warrior could close the distance between him and the two white cats Ravenpaw was leaping on top of his back and digging his claws into his shoulders.

”Get away from them!” He yowled.

”Get off me you Shadow Clan filth!” Blueheart bucked and twisted, a huge paw raking across Ravenpaw’s belly. Claws barely scraping against the tender flesh there.

”Brother!” Jaypaw’s roar of rage was muffled by Ravenpaw tumbling to the earth. He watched as his sister batter the warriors ears and face with her claws.

Blueheart slammed her down with a paw and she writhed on the ground trying to escape. Before Ravenpaw could pushed himself back up he watched Shorthalt bite down hard on the warrior’s tail, and Percy leap at his face.

Percy sunk his claws into Blueheart’s shoulders and bite down onto the warrior’s face. Blueheart howled in rage and pain. He did get off of Jaypaw but now he had Percy at his front, able to sink his teeth into vulnerable areas like his belly and throat. Ravenpaw knew that Percy could cling on even if he was being tossed around like a piece of prey.

“Leave my friends alone!” Strongpaw and Rowanpaw rushed in to join the fight.

The larger apprentice leapt onto the warrior’s back. His sheer size knocking the much older, and more experienced warrior flat. It also sent Percy and Shorthalt flying and tumbling to the grass. Percy landing in a pile of damp leaves.

Strongpaw was growling, his teeth fastened in a deadly grip to Blueheart’s neck. Blood gushed between his jaws and the scratches his claws left in the warrior’s chest.

Oh Star Clan… he’s going to kill him! Ravenpaw staggered to his paws as Blueheart began to go limp under Strongpaw’s paws.

”Big guy, he’s down. It’s done.” Ravenpaw felt as though his landed on his hind paw wrong, it hurt to put weight on it.

Strongpaw released his hold on Blueheart’s neck, blood dripping from his jaws. It was too late. Blood was leaking from the warrior’s neck in sluggish pulses to stain the grass.

For a moment they all gathered around to stare at the dying cat and each other in shock.

”Great Star Clan!” A new voice joined them and they all whirled around to the Wind Clan side of the border.

Fadefeather and Lightningtail were standing on a small hill looking thunderstruck. Rowanpaw’s mentor was the first to race for them. “What happened?” She asked in a hurried voice when she reached the younger cats. She stared down at Blueheart’s body and then at their injuries, and finally Strongpaw’s bloody jaws.

”He attacked us!” Rownpaw burst out as Lightningtail joined them. “He started rambling about cats without clan blood after we mentioned that we met Cinderstar on our journey and he just lost it! Strongpaw was trying to protect us!”

Fadefeather exchanged looks with Lightningtail who shrugged. The dappled brown she-cat sighed deeply. “I’ve never known you to lie Rowanpaw,” she said at last her voice grave. “Cinderstar has an odd sway over many cats when he was in power, even those outside Shadow Clan who believed he had a point about the purity of warrior blood.”

Lightningtail scoffed. “As if life was better under the code when cats couldn’t follow their hearts. Or when it was harder to let outsiders in.” He rolled his eyes. “If the clans hadn’t started letting in more rogues and kittypets we would have died out.”

Fadefeather raised her tail for quiet. “Be that as it may. It would still be bad for all of you if this got out.” She said. “For the time being we keep what happened here today quiet. Lightningtail and I only saw the end of that fight, but we heard the yowling. We will bury him and speak to Cranestar about this. But it does not pass any of your lips. Is that understood?”

Ravenpaw felt a sinking feeling in his gut but nodded. They had only been defending themselves. And these two experienced warriors believed their story.

”But what does this have to do with Cinderstar?” He asked Fadefeather. By now the dark clouds that had been hovering in the sky all day burst, and rain began to fall on them all.

Fadefeather shook her head. “Now is not the time. The rain with wash the blood scent off of all of you. Go to Sky Clan. Complete your journey. We will stay here and take care of Blueheart.” She spoke in a tone that left no room for argument.

“She’s right.” Trickpaw was shaking slightly, her pelt pressed close to Strongpaw’s. “We need to take Percy home.”

Fadefeather dipped her head to them. “May Star Clan light your path.” She and Lightningtail turned back to the body.

As the questing cats turned to go Ravenpaw heard Lightningtail mutter. “Just like old times. You never liked to let bodies sit out and rot, even if they were our enemies.”

Whatever Fadefeather said in response to that was drowned out by the sound of the rain and the growing distance between them.

By the time they made it down to the pebbly lake shore, all of their pelts were plastered to their bodies. Ravenpaw would have liked nothing more than to find shelter and try to dry off but they needed to stay out in the open. His leg still hurt him, but all the blood had been washed from their fur, they didn’t even smell like they’d been in a fight anymore.

Percy was shivering and as they settled down to wait he pressed himself into Ravenpaw’s side. They all huddled together to keep warm. It would only be a matter of waiting for the day patrol, if Star Clan willing, they hadn’t already missed it.

---

Ravenpaw didn’t even realize he’d dozed off until Jaypaw prodded him in the side.

”Look.” She hissed in his ear. 

A large muscular brown tom was leading his patrol down the slope to the shore. Heading straight for them.

”It’s Bearroar.” Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief. The Sky Clan cat was known for his kindness and warm humor. 

“Greetings.” The warrior’s deep mew rumbled in his throat. “Welcome home all of you.”

Chapter 24: Chapter 22

Rowanpaw could hardly keep herself from trembling. Not just from the cold of the late green-leaf rain soaking her pelt, but the fact that a cat from the clans had just tried to murder all of them. Had Larchstar really sent Blueheart to escort them? Was them mentioning Cinderstar triggered the attack? Or had he always intended to attack them as they returned to clan territory? It didn’t make sense. 

And now Blueheart was dead… there would be no answers from him. She doubted Star Clan would welcome him. The Thunder Clan Warrior was undoubtedly doomed to the Dark Forest… a fate Rowanpaw couldn’t imagine.

and what was going to happen to them? Warriors weren’t supposed to kill… but it wasn’t as if Blueheart had given them much of a choice… Fadefeather said that she and Lightningtail would handle it… that they would talk to Cranestar. 

Rowanpaw prayed that her father would understand… he always had before… but this wasn’t a matter of some scattered bedding or skipped chores… this was a cat’s life that had ended. Cranestar and Redfeather had always taught her to respect life. The life of the prey and the lives of other cats.

But Blueheart tried to kill us. Rownpaw tried to reason with herself as they walked through Sky Clan’s birch forest with Bearroar in the lead.

The large tom with the shaggy brown fur had a warm deep voice as he spoke to Percy.

”Wolfstar has been preparing for your arrival.” He told the young tom. “We’re always glad to have a new clan mate.” Bearroar’s purr was deep and soothing.

Percy looked at him, opened his mouth to speak then closed it again looking at Jaypaw and Ravenpaw for help. 
Star Clan he looks so scared… how can we just leave him in a clan full of strangers?

It was Trickpaw who spoke. “I was visited in dreams by Frostbranch.” She began. Bearroar turned his attention to the medicine cat apprentice fully. 

“Frostbranch? He’s with Star Clan?” Grief glittered in the large Tom’s eyes.

Trickpaw nodded. “He is. With his mate and most of their kits. Percy is their son. When he was born they named him Fogkit.”

Bearroar looked at the small white tom who was pressing himself between the two Shadow Clan cats. He nodded in seeming understanding. “I will gather Wolfstar and the senior warriors when we reach the camp.” He said, and after that they picked up the pace.

The Sky Clan camp was in a sheltered dip in the earth, circled by ferns and thorn bushes. Above it the golden branches of a tree sheltered the camp from the worst of the rain. Rowanpaw had never seen a tree like this. It was beautiful. Growing up and out from behind the tall tumble of rocks where she suspected Wolfstar made his den.

Cats were milling about the camp. Some doing chores, other sharing tongues around the driest spots of the camp. Rowanpaw spotted Moonwing who seemed to be organizing the apprentices in their chores. Her lithe body marred by scars that broke up her pure white pelt in horrible ways. But she held herself with dignity and grace. And when her red eyes spotted Bearroar, his patrol, and the questing cats, they were warm and welcoming.

She padded over to them dipping her head in respect. “Welcome back.” She had seen Percy and she kept that same warm expression. “I’ll go fetch Wolfstar. Geckoleap.” She turned to the golden tabby who’d been part of Bearroar’s patrol. “Could you fetch Yarrowflower, Oakstripe, and Harvestmoon?”

Geckoleap dipped her head and padded off to a tangled den of honeysuckle. Moonwing turned back to the questing cat’s. “Follow me, let’s get all of you out of the rain.” She turned and flicked her tail for them to follow. 

The white she-cat lead them to the leader’s den her expression turning slightly worried. They found Wolfstar and Harvestmoon speaking in hushed tones in the cave where the leader made his den.

”Wolfstar.” Moonwing spoke letting herself into the den. Rowanpaw could have sworn she heard a tenge of irritation in her mew. “The questing cats have returned.” She flicked her tail for all of them to follow. In behind them squeezed Bearroar, Yarrowflower, and a dark brown tabby tom who was missing his right eye.

This must be Oakstripe. Rowanpaw thought watching the way he brushed his cheek against Moonwing’s and purred. All the clans knew that the two of them were mates. That the white she cat had left Thunder Clan to be with him and to have kits.

Wolfstar drew himself up looking a bit uncomfortable with so many cats crowding his den. “Well then… um… well done all of you.” He said at last before looking at Percy and addressing him directly. “You must be the cat Star Clan intends to help us. Welcome to Sky Clan.”

Percy looked down at his paws self-consciously and he remained silent. He still looked terrified.

Again Trickpaw spoke for him explaining and Frostbranch, his mate and their kits. How Percy had been born in that awful two-leg den and hurt by the two-legs there. That Frostbranch, his Mate and most of their kits were dead. That Percy was one of those surviving kits. Wolfstar’s eyes got wider as she spoke and Rowanpaw could have sworn she saw a flicker of fear in his amber eyes.

”I see.” He said nodding and getting to his paws. “Fogkit.” He addressed Percy who finally looked up at the grey tabby with wide blue eyes. “This way. You’re going to need a mentor and your apprentice name.”

Percy looked very unsure but at a coaxing look from Jaypaw and Ravenpaw he nodded silently to the Sky Clan leader who lead them all out into the clearing. The golden branches of the tree seemed to glitter in the half light under the rain clouds. Wolfstar leaped up on top of the rocks that made up his den.

the questing cats all closed ranks around Percy who was looking nervously up at the grey tom.

”Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Sun Tree for a clan meeting.” Wolfstar yowled to his clan.

All of Sky Clan seemed to appear from their dens where they’d been sheltering from the rain. The apprentices stopped in their chores and moved to peer curiously at the new comer.

”Today we welcome a new clan mate.” Wolfstar announced. “The cats sent of the journey from Star Clan have returned. They have brought the tom that they were intended to find and now he must take his place in the clan.” The leader began looking down at Percy. “Of course he’s going to need his apprentice name and a mentor.”
He looked around at the gathered warriors as if agonizing over the choice of who could train this young cat. Rowanpaw could ever remember her father seeming so unsure when making announcements.

”From this moment forth.” Wolfstar began speaking again, shaking himself. “This Apperntice will be known as Fogpaw.” No mention of who Percy’s father was. “And Moonwing will be his mentor. I trust she will pass on all that she knows.”

Moonwing and Oakstripe exchanged looks and a nuzzle before the she-cat stepped forward dipping her head to her leader.

”Moonwing,” Wolfstar addressed her. “you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Strikeclaw in Thunder Clan, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and fair minded. You will be the mentor of Fogpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him.”

Moonwing padded up to stand in front of Fogpaw who was looking at her nervously. “It’s okay,” she whispered to him. “You’re doing great.”

Rowanpaw leaned in and whispered to her friend. “Touch noses with her.”

Fogpaw gave a minute nod and raised his head. It was only a brief touch and when it was done the cats of Sky Clan proclaimed him and his new name. 

“Fogpaw! Fogpaw!” They cheered, not knowing they were cheering on the son of the cat who should have been their leader.

Wolfstar dismissed the clan meeting by leaping down from the Tall Rock and padding over to whisper to Yarrowflower.

Rowanpaw purred loudly and all of the questing cats gathered around Fogpaw to congratulate him. He had no kin here that they knew of so this was their job.

”You took to hunting on the journey.” Jaypaw was telling him as she licked over his ears. “You’ll do wonderfully in training.”

Moonwing gave an approving nod. “A quick learner then.” She smiled. “She’s right, you’ll be just fine here.”

Fogpaw looked a little overwhelmed but he purred and nuzzled each of his friends in turn, lingering longer with Jaypaw and Ravenpaw as he’d known them the longest. But it was clear he would miss all of them. Miss sharing the warmth of a nest with the first cats since his mother and littermates.

Rowanpaw hated to leave her friend in a clan where he didn’t know anyone. Where he’d be sleeping alone in his own nest, in a den with strangers.

The Sky Clan Apprentices were looking at them curiously, and finally a small dark ginger tom padded forward with his tail held high. He had short, but powerful looking legs. “My name’s Tinypaw.” He said looking at Fogpaw with humor in his eyes. “I can show you around camp if you want. I know all the best places to sneak out without being spotted.” He purred even as Moonwing flicked her tail over his ears scoldingly.

”Give him some space.” She ordered. “There will be time for your mischief once he’s settled in.” She was taking in the patchy quality of Fogpaw’s pelt, the still visible scarring and the way he trembled from being soaked to the bone. “I want Yarrowflower to have a look at him first.” She dipped her head to Trickpaw. “You’ve been treating him all this time so you should come along as well. I can pick warriors to escort the rest of you back to your clans.”

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw looked like they wanted to protest but they didn’t. Instead they nuzzled Fogpaw and murmured words to him that Rowanpaw couldn’t hear. She did catch one phrase from Ravenpaw though.

”Do not go far from us…” he whispered to the younger tom.

Fogpaw was just as reluctant to see them all go. “Will I ever see you again?” He asked them in a small voice.

Star Clan… he’s just barely six moons old. Were the closest thing to a real family he knows. Rowanpaw wanted to whale at how unfair this all was. The cats were like clan mates to her too.

”Of course you will.” Jaypaw assured him. “You’ll see us at gatherings, and Sky Clan shares and border with Shadow Clan and Thunder Clan.”

”We’ll figure something out.” Ravenpaw promised even as Strongpaw nearly smothered the little white tom in his sodden grey pelt. 

It was all over too soon. Rowanpaw had just rescued Fogpaw from Strongpaw, playfully fixing his messed up fur before their warrior escorts arrived. Strongpaw was staying until Trickpaw was done consulting with Yarrowflower and Fogpaw insisted on watching them go before he would let Moonwing lead him to the medicine den. Rowanpaw rubbed her cheek to his, breathing in his scent and letting him do the same for her.

”I’ll see you at the next full moon.” She promised him. Fogpaw nodded rasping his tongue over her shoulder once before pulling back.

Shorthalt laid his muzzle on Fogpaw’s head even if the apprentice was of a height with the warrior. “Don’t forget what I taught you. You loose your skills if you don’t use them.”

”I’ll remember.” Fogpaw promised him.

Jaypaw and Ravenpaw moved in again even as Moonwing called over a few warriors to escort the questing cats back to their own separate clans.

“Lichenclaw.” The white warrior called over the curly furred she-cat over. “Escort Shorthalt back to River Clan.” The warrior dipped her head to the white she-cat and jerked her head at Shorthalt to follow her through the fern tunnel out of camp.

”See you guys soon.” Shorthalt said brightly padding off to follow his escort.

”Bearroar.” Moonwing called over the shaggy brown tom next. “Can you take Ravenpaw and Jaypaw back to Shadow Clan. I know you won’t be phased by Silverstar’s behavior.”

Bearroar’s whiskers twitched in amusement. “Oh you know me so well. At least he won’t be doing anything to the young ones while I’m there.” His long claws sunk into the earth for a moment. Then he inclined his head to the two Shadow Clan cats. “Come along then.”

The two apprentices hesitated both still pressing close to Fogpaw.

Jaypaw herself looked scared at the idea of going home. “Can’t we stay with him just a little longer?” She asked. “He doesn’t know any of you yet.”

Bearroar looked to Moonwing who gave the three cats a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, but we don’t need to risk Silverstar’s hostility right now. You can always wait at the border if you want to see him before the gathering. I certainly wouldn’t fault any of you for doing that.”

Right… Moonwing has friends in all the clans, and she changed clans to be with her mate… Off course she understands… Rowanpaw decided that she would ask Fadefeather for advice about this when she got home.

”I’ll be okay…” Fogpaw murmured to the two cats. “This is where I’m supposed to be… isn’t it? And you belong with your own clans…”

He was putting on a brave face for all of them, even Rowanpaw could see that. He was scared to be here with a bunch of cats he didn’t know. But he was being brave.

Jaypaw pressed her nose to his cheek and Ravenpaw licked over his torn ear.

“We’ll see you again as soon as possible.” Ravenpaw promised.

”You're going to do so well here.” Jaypaw purred softly.

Fogpaw purred in return and nuzzled against the two littermates who had taught him so much about the clans. The cats who had given him hope when he’d been living without it for his whole life. Of course he would feel closer to them than the rest of them.

Even with Fogpaw’s words Jaypaw and Ravenpaw still took their time parting. By the time they were padding towards Bearroar to let themselves be lead back to Shadow Clan, Moonwing had called over Geckoleap to take Rowanpaw back to Wind Clan.

Rowanpaw brushed her tail tip over Fogpaw’s shoulder in farewell.  “See you at the gathering.” She mewed watching the white Tom’s eyes widen and glisten. 

“See you at the gathering…” Fogpaw dipped his head to them. 

Rowanpaw heard Jaypaw make a small wounded noise in her throat as Bearroar lead her and her brother out of the Sky Clan camp. Rowanpaw let herself be lead away with Geckoleap… back to Wind Clan.

Back home.

Cranestar was there to greet her when they reached the moore hollow. Her father covered her ears in licks and filled them with his deep happy purrs. Rowanpaw could only think of how Jaypaw and Ravenpaw wouldn’t be greeted by their father like this. Fogpaw would never know the pride of a parent showering them with praise.

It pained her, and she let out a sob, pressing her face into her father’s soft brown fur. “Dad…” her mew was broken.

She’d watched Blueheart die… she’d seen Percy rip a a cat’s paw right off her body. Both cats had been trying to kill them… in prison them… 

Cranestar wrapped his foreleg around her and nuzzled his daughter as she Trembled. With Leafclaw’s help Cranestar lead Rowanpaw to the medicine den.

Firetail was there sorting herbs but she was quick to jump into action and fluff up a nest for the distressed apprentice. The kind she-cat had such a soothing voice, and Cranestar’s voice purring into her ears had Rowanpaw laying down into the nest of heather. The familiar scent washed over her and she couldn’t help but close her eyes. 

A wet bit of moss was pressed to her lips and she licked the water up from it. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was.

Did Geckoleap go back to Sky Clan…? I hope she’s okay…

Something small was pressed against her nose… poppy seeds… and thyme… they’d given her some when Redfeather had disappeared. She’d been so scared then… her mother had left to hunt and had never come back…

Leafclaw was there, her scarred face swimming in and out of focus for Rowanpaw as she drifted between sleep and awake. It was so hard to keep her eyes open after she’d licked up the poppy seeds… 

Had Fadefeather and Lightningtail really taken care of Blueheart’s body? It was so hard to think…

Rowanpaw let her eyes fall closed. She wanted Redfeather. She wanted her mother and the sweet scent of the nursery… she didn’t have any littlermates… all she wanted was her mother and her father… 

and her friends… Ravenpaw…

The Shadow Clan cat’s face swam into her vision without her thinking of him. His sleek pelt and his infuriating habit of running into danger without thinking… he was so brave… so brazen.

I'll be back, Little Flower. But until then, you need to know something. Redfeather’s voice came to her ears as if she was right there with her. Her pelt pressing against Rowanpaw’s own. Listen to your power.

What power…? Was the last coherent thought Rowanpaw had until she was swept out of the waking world by the blackness of sleep.

Power…

Fire…

She smelled smoke…

She smelled Ravenpaw, and Fogpaw…

She smelled all of her friends… and one by one… they were scattered to winds.

Chapter 25: Chapter 23

Watching Rowanpaw, Jaypaw and Ravenpaw get lead back to their respective clans by their Sky Clan escorts was like stones in Trickpaw’s heart. The little bubble of safety they’d formed on their quest had been popped and she didn’t know if it would ever be truly reformed while they all walked amongst the living clans.

When Rowanpaw’s dark ginger tail vanished through the thorn tunnel Trickpaw turned. Moonwing was gently coaxing Fogpaw to follow her.

”Come along, Yarrowflower needs to have a look at you before you’re cleared for training.” She said in a kind voice.

Trickpaw padded over to join her, Strongpaw hanging back. She knew he wasn’t fond of the smell of the medicine den. Moonwing gave her a nod and together they took Fogpaw to the den of woven honeysuckle where Yarrowleaf treated her patients. The smell of the interior was sweet and soothing, honeysuckle and lavender mingling in the air. The dark brown tabby was readying a nest of moss and fern, lining the bottom with downy feathers. She looked up when she heard them enter.

”Thank you Moonwing.” Yarrowflower walked over to Fogpaw who tensed on instinct. She looked at Trickpaw. “You’ve done well treating these injuries. I don’t smell a hint of infection. But I am worried about the sheer number of injuries he has.”

”The two legs made them.” Trickpaw explained as they were beckoned deeper into the den. She helped Fogpaw get settled into the nest. “They’d scrape away his fur and cut into him.” 

She noticed how Moonwing shifted on her paws at those words.

Yarrowflower nodded in understanding. “I have heard of some two legs who do that. Kittypets call them vets. Cutter is what we call them.”

”Cutter?” Fogpaw asked her, speaking for first time since the others had left. The others all looked at him and he pulled his ears back. He swallowed. “They took Una’s claws away. They did that to cats who fought them too much…”

”That sounds like a two-leg.” Moonwing nodded grimly. “Especially a city two-leg,” she worked her claws into the floor of the den. “You’re safe here, Yarrowflower will make sure that there’s nothing Trickpaw might have missed.”

”She didn’t.” Fogpaw said a little defensively. It warmed Trickpaw’s heart that he trusted her skills that much.

”I’m still just an apprentice.” She reminded him. “Yarrowflower has been healing cats for seasons. She has far more experience than I do.”

”Experience and age.” The older she-cat mewed around a leaf wrap in her jaws. “But Trickpaw here has younger eyes.” There was humor in her voice and Trickpaw felt another spark of pride. “How have you been eating Fogpaw?”

”I ate a fish this morning.” Fogpaw responded.

Moonwing purred. “Oh yes I remember when Twilightstep taught all of us to fish.”

Yarrowflower snorted softly. “Give me a sparrow any day.” But her eyes were fond. “Just stay on our side of the lake and you can fish all you want.” She told Fogpaw as she checked his torn ear closely. “Well all of these look like they’re healing well but he’s still never thin. And the journey would have taken a lot out of him.” She said. “I want to keep him here in my den for at least two days before he starts his training.”

Moonwing nodded in understanding. “Health before learning. But maybe let Tinypaw show him around the camp once he’s had a night of sleep. He seemed eager to welcome him.”

Trickpaw gave Fogpaw a look of encouragement. “See? We told you that there would be cats lining up to be friends with you.”

He nodded then looked at Yarrowflower. “Did you… did you know my father?”

The old medicine cat’s amber eyes became softened by sadness. “I did know him little one. I was just an apprentice when he was born, and I watch him become a great warrior and then clan deputy. I hoped that one day I would be escorting him to the Moon Pool to receive his nine lives.”

Maybe not Frostbranch… but maybe one day with Fogpaw you will. Trickpaw thought to herself. She believed that’s why this had been so urgent. They had been sent to rescue Sky Clan’s future leader. She believed that with her whole heart. Whatever wrong that had been done by Frostbranch leaving the clan was finally being righted. 

“Why did he leave?” Fogpaw spoke again. “Couldn’t he have brought us here?”

Yarrowflower exchanged looks with Moonwing.

”He would have been able to.” Yarrowflower nodded. “Your mother would have been more than welcomed here… but… I don’t know why he chose that path that he did.” She lowered her head. “But I see much of him in you Fogpaw.”

Fogpaw still looked confused but Moonwing spoke before he could. “I understand what it’s like to choose love over clan and friends. He must have loved your mother with all his heart. There’s nothing wrong with choosing love.”

Didn't you love Sunblaze and Qickstrike…? Trickpaw stared at the white she-cat for a moment unsure and confused. She resolved to ask Amberleaf for details about that situation when she and Strongpaw returned to Thunder Clan.

Something that happened far too soon for her and Strongpaw’s liking. It felt wrong leaving Fogpaw alone here with cats he hardly knew.

Strongpaw nuzzled the small tom  who actually nuzzled the much larger apprentice back. 

“We’ll see you at a gathering.” Strongpaw promised him just like the others had. “And I can show you some really good fighting moves.”

Moonwing’s whiskers twitched in amusement. “I’m sure Sunblaze will teach you many goood ones to pass on.” She said. But I think it’s time for the two of you to go home. Sleep in your own nests.”

Oakstripe had appeared at the entrance to the medicine den. “I can take them,” he said giving his mate a kind look with his one remaining eye.

Moonwing dipped her head in silent agreement. Trickpaw guessed that things were still awkward between the she-cat and her former Clan. She wasn’t surprised, if her memories of how her departure had gone were accurate. It hadn’t been an entirely amicable split.

As she and Strongpaw walked side by side with Oakstripe she wondered about that. About how their life was after his mate had passed the trails to become a Sky Clan cat. 
Not a drop of clan blood. Blueheart had said. But how much did clan blood really matter? Frostbranch himself said that it was something in clan blood that made what the two-legs were doing to cats work. 
It made them smarter… Fogpaw can understand two-legs. He can read their odd symbols… Ravepaw and Jaypaw can understand them now too after what was done to them.

”Oakstripe.” Trickpaw spoke up. “Does… does Moonwing ever talk about where she came from? Her kin I mean.” She lowered her head as he turned to look at her.

”Not often. Why?” At least he didn’t sound angry.

”We met one of her half brothers.” Trickpaw said. It wasn’t a lie and it was a good enough excuse. “He looked just like her. Pure white fur and red eyes.”

Oakstripe sighed. “Not all of her half siblings look like that. But the ones she knew did. Her father ran that city and cats in it. He would have kits with she-cats and only take the kits who looked like him.” He explained. “Moonwing was still a kit when she ran away and ended up with Thunder Clan.”

”He called her a kin slayer.” Trickpaw hoped she wasn’t pressing too far.

Oakstripe blinked. “Amberleaf hasn’t told you the story?” he paused. “Her father came to the clans with his kin. Moonwing was forced to kill him and they scattered.” He said simply, his eyes going slightly fond. “That was the first battle we fought side by side. I’d never seen a more graceful warrior.”

Trickpaw felt her pelt grow hot, wondering if anyone would ever speak about her in that kind of tone. But she was a medicine cat. Even if they did it wasn’t like either of them could act on feelings like that. 
But Oakstripe’s story didn’t answer the main question she had swimming around in her head. If Moonwing and her kin truly didn’t have clan blood… why had that white tome been nearly as heavily scarred as Fogpaw?

They entered the camp at the top of the stone hollow and Oakstripe greeted Brightweave warmly when the deputy padded over the greet them. It was so late in the day now that most of the clan was either asleep or settling in for the night. But Wheattuft bounded over from the elder’s den as soon as he noticed her and Strongpaw.

Her grandfather nuzzled them both and purred so loudly Trickpaw could feel it rumbling in her own chest. 
“you’re back!” Wheattuft covered her and Strongpaw in licks.

“We’re glad to see you both back safely.” Brightweave mewed. “Were you successful?”

”Yes.” Trickpaw said proudly. “His name is Fogpaw, and we brought him safely to Sky Clan.”

Brightweave nodded. “Being fog to the sky.” She said paraphrasing the words of the prophecy. “Well done both of you. There will be time for the full story once you’ve eaten and had a descent night’s sleep.” She gestured with her tail to the fresh-kill pile. “Go on ahead.”

Trickpaw and Strongpaw managed to make their way over there and duck out from under Wheattuft’s onslaught of affection. Trickpaw picked a vole for herself and the two of them parted for their own dens.

Inside the medicine den she found Amberleaf still awake and sorting herbs. Her mentor looked up when she heard Trickpaw enter. “You’re back,” she dropped the stems of horsetail and bounded across the den to her.

”The mission was a success.” Trickpaw said after dropping her vole. “Sky Clan is now one apprentice larger.”

Amberleaf’s green eyes glowed with pride. “Well done Trickpaw.” She purred. “You’ve done well.”

Trickpaw purred in return. “I’m really tired…” she admitted. The weight of the day’s events and emotions felt like a weight on her small shoulders. She didn’t know if or when someone would ask about Blueheart.

Had Larchstar really sent him to meet them.

”As you should be.” Amberleaf said in understanding. “Eat your vole and settle in to sleep.” She indicated the very inviting nest and Trickpaw was happy to settle into it and eat her vole. Before she could stand and clear away the bones to bury them Amberleaf swooped in and scooped them up. “I’ll take care of these. You sleep.” She said padding out of the den.

Trickpaw smiled and laid her head down before curling up in the soft bed of moss and heather, tucking her tail over her nose. It felt odd sleeping in a nest by herself after so long with the others. Without Strongpaw’s pelt pressed against hers like when they’d been in the nursery together. But she was so exhausted the ache at their absence barely kept her awake and she was swept away into dreamless sleep.

---

Trickpaw was awoken by the sounds of Shimmerfur’s kits playing with each other outside of the medicine den. She raised her head and blinked in the morning light filtering through the den. She was home… in the Thunder Clan camp. 
She let that sink in, feeling a heaviness in her chest… a tugging in her heart pulling her in four other directions as her paws planted her here with her clan.

Sighing she pulled herself from her nest and started to give her white pelt a cursory grooming, getting all the little bits of moss from her fur. She noticed that Amberleaf’s nest was empty and that made her nervous. 
It’s been a day… cats are going to start asking where Blueheart is…

Trickpaw wondered if she would be asked if they’d seen them on their trip through clan territory. As she readied herself to leave the medicine den a small brown she-cat appeared in the entrance.

”Welcome back.” Kiteclaw said brightly. 

Trickpaw quickly dipped her head to the clan deputy’s mate. She had a deep respect for both she-cats. “Sorry, I just woke up and it was so late when we got back.”

”Eh, that’s not a big deal.” Kiteclaw shrugged. “But Larchstar and Brightweave want to talk to you. Strongpaw is already in his den.”

Here we go… “of course, I’ll be right there.” Trickpaw gave her pelt a shake to dislodge any remaining bits of moss and heather… and to help clear her mind of any lingering grogginess from her deep sleep.

Frostbranch… can you see that your son is safe with his clan…? She thought as she padded her way across the stone hollow to the rock tumble that lead up to the leader’s den.

Outside Sunblaze of all cats was waiting, and Trickpaw had never seen the young warrior look so nervous. 
“Go on inside.” She told Trickpaw, giving her chest fur a quick lick, right above the deep scar that slashed across her chest. Trickpaw had always wondered how she’d gotten it.

Trickpaw dipped her head without a word, pushing her way past the ivy that called the entrance to the leader’s den. Waiting inside wasn’t just Larchstar and Strongpaw, but Brightweave and Amberleaf as well… and to Trickpaw’s shock, Lightningtail of Wind Clan.

”Trickpaw.” Larchstar addressed her in a serious tone. “Congratulations on your successful mission. We just have a few questions for you.” He nodded to his deputy and Brightweave spoke.

”Is it true what Lightningtail says? That you met Cinderstar and when you mentioned this to Blueheart he tried to kill all of you?” Brightweave asked, her voice kinder than their leader’s had been.

Trickpaw saw Strongpaw flinch and lower his head in shame at the mention of the senior warrior who had been their clan mate.

“Yes…” Trickpaw nodded looking her deputy in the eye. “Did… did Larchstar really send him to meet us?” She asked hesitantly.

”I did not.” Larchstar shook his head. “I had faith that Star Clan would guide your paws back to us in time. I would have never sent a warrior to interfere in that.”

”We saw the end of that fight.” Lightningtail spoke. “Me and Fadefeather I mean. He was going to kill Trickpaw and this new cat. And move on to the others if Strongpaw hadn’t interfered. He saved all of their lives.”

Brightweave sighed. “He was always… difficult. When Cinderstar was in power he spoke many times that we should here out his beliefs to reverse the changes in the code that The Lights in the Mist brought from Star Clan seasons ago.”

Larchstar nodded and lowered his head. “Star Clan’s hunting grounds will not be for him. The Dark Forest will be his place surely.” He looked to Amberleaf as if seeking conformation.

The dark ginger medicine cat nodded. “It’s the darkness for him.” She confirmed. “But if he was a follower of Cinderstar there will be others, especially now that he is free. We need to be prepared for threats to appear within all of the clans.”

Larchstar dipped his head gravely. “The clans must prepare for all out war. A threat to our way of life that hasn’t existed since the Whispered One.”

Trickpaw saw Amberleaf and Lightningtail exchange horrified looks and shudder. Lightningtail flexed the claws of his left paw, his neck fur bristling and his eyes wide and scarred.

The Whispered One? Who is that? Trickpaw felt a horrible shiver go up her spine at the mention of the title. That faint smell of smoke reached her nose and tails raised and bristled all around her as if they could smell it too.

”Surely…” Lightningtail’s voice was horse. “You can’t think that it’s him again? He and Cinderstar were separate. Even Moonwing couldn’t find a connection between the two.”

Moonwing again? What does she have to do with all of this? What do any of you? 

Out of all of them Lightningtail looked the most uneasy. He looked haunted, as if he was seeing terrible things happen right before his blue eyes. Like he smelled blood and could feel his claws cutting through flesh.

”The Path Finders must meet as once again.” Larchstar announced looking at Amberleaf and Lightningtail again. “You must gather your friends and thier apprentices. The time has come for us to prepare for the very worst.”

The Path Finders… Sunblaze, Amaberleaf… Moonwing, Fadefeather, Lightningtail, Twightstep and Shortshadow…

She knew all of these cats had done something tremulously good for all the clans. Showing them a new path forward not so long ago. But their apprentices… that was most of the questing cats, now including Fogpaw.

”We will be ready.” Amberleaf announced. “And they will not find the clans an easy target. Our way of life will survive. And we will not allow this to make us cower like mice.”

Trickpaw had never heard her mentor speak with such conviction before. She had that same determined fire in her green eyes that she’d stoked when Slithertail had died. 
Trickpaw knew from this moment that the life she had imagined for herself was done. The life where she’d do nothing more than heal her clan mates and interpret the will of Star Clan.

I am still interpreting the will of our ancestors. She told herself. They speak to me… Frostbranch spoke to me. He showed me what to do… how to help his kit and his clan.

Bringing Fogpaw to his father’s clan was only the beginning. Soon Trickpaw knew their names would all be writ large in the histories of all the clans.

We will be The Voices of the Stars.

Notes:

Wow. At this point I feel a bit like a freelancer.
Irl I am worried about my professional life, but I’m very glad that I can still find the time to write these. And don’t worry you won’t have to wait long for the second book of this series.
It has become a bit more of a Critical Role crossover with my home game… more than I had originally intended. But I’m very proud of how it turned out and I can’t wait to write more of this story!

Thank you so much for reading!