“Do you have mud in your brain?” Rubystar huffed back, standing in front of the younger warriors, “We’re escaping right now.” The cats stood up. “Good.” Mushroom eye stretched her legs, “We should run…” Sleekshine looked at Bumblefern. “I hear pawsteps. We should run.” Bumblefern nodded and made the first daring move. He ran out, sharply did an 180, and bolted towards the forest. Mushroomeye followed swiftly behind him, just a tail lengths away. Sleekshine followed in the back, nudging Rubystar with her muzzle. Rubystar followed sluggishly, but tried her best. They swiftly got out of the camp. The only pounding paws were of their own. When the cats were already far away, Stormpaw’s head poked into the camp. Rubystar yowled out a cry towards him. Stormpaw didn’t hear and Sleekshine kept on pushing her, scared she was yowling towards a Rogueclan cat. Bumblefern rammed himself into the Fadedclan camp. All the cats were gone, exploring somewhere else.

Specklepaw looked and screamed. Her scream echoed throughout the territories. Blacklion ran over. “Are you ok!?” “INTRUDER!” She yowled. The tom looked towards where she was pointing. Bumblefern’s unusually soft fur was matted. The skinny tom was defeated, he was a ragged being. His eyes didn’t shine. “It’s me! Bumblefern!” “I don’t believe you.” Gingerfur spat. “HOW?!” He wailed. “You’re a strange cat claiming to be someone else.” “NO! I CAN TALK TO BEES! I’M BEEDEW’S BROTHER! MY MOM IS WARMMEADOW!” The ragged tom was right. Gingerfur narrowed her eyes. “What about them?” “They’re Mushroomeye, Rubystar, and Sleekshine!” Mangledstar growled, padding over. “Don’t believe them. They could have been spying on us.” Rubstars eyes dulled out. She croaked. “Now… Don’t speak to your elders like that. Starclan is with us.” She shook her crystal bracelet.

Mangledstar eyed the bracelet. “How do we know that you didn’t kill a cat for that?” “Because, I can’t get this holy thing off of me, even if I wanted to.” She tugged on it, it was snagged on her long, persian pelt. Mangledstar turned around and started to pad back to the beach. “Take them away off the territory.” “MANGLEDSTAR! OR RATHER I SAY, MANGLEDSCAR.” Rubystar skeeted infront of him, “Have you no shame?! What would your parents think?! I can spawn them here RIGHT NOW!” The tom stopped with one paw in the air. He looked at the old sha-cat. Then he folded his ears back. “Don’t talk about my parents like that!” “I was good friends with Raggedtail! Your father! He liked to collect acorns, and fish! His favorite food was honey, but he always claimed it was trout!” She yelped. She was telling the truth. Mangledstar was stunned. “What happened to you all?” Rubystar looked down, “We were kidnapped… By rouges…” The air was thick with suspension. “So Midget and Crow were right…”

“I’m so sorry…” Specklepaw mewed. Rubystar nodded, “We need help…” “You can stay in Crystalclan’s cave with us. We know the way, even if it's dark.” “Are you sure?” Mushroomeye questioned. Rubystar huffed and snapped her tail. “They're VERY sure.” “Come along then.” Rubystar nodded. *** In Leafclan, Stormpelt was playing with his new kits, Otterkit, a brown she-cat with gray ears, white paws, and blue eyes, and Ghostkit, a white ablino tom with bright pink eyes. He tried to pounce onto his fathers paw. Otterkit leaped on top of her brother. Mintkit walked over to them, looming over the 2 week old kits. “Are you play-fighting again?” Ghostkit squeaked. “Yeah?” His voice was soft, and scratchy. Dustkit walked over. Mintkit pounced on him. “Now this is how you play-fight!” She said, wrapping her forepaws around his legs. Ghostkit watched, blinking. “Huh.” Mintkit forced Dustkit to the ground. “I win!” “That was unfair!” Dustikt cried. “You should have been paying attention!”

“Nuh uh! You know I’m still learning how to walk around!” He squealed. “Stop making up excuses! We’re 5 moons old!” “Shut up! Both of you!” Badgerpaw s******ed, “You guys are still little kits.” Mintkit turned around. “Excuse me?!” “Do you have bees in your brain?” He chuckled, “I’m older than you. I shouldn’t have to repeat myself.” “Badgerpaw!” Orangedust snapped, padding over. “What?!” The fluffy tom turned around. “Leave my kits alone.” She warned. “I’m just messing with them...“ “Well go mess with somecat else or be nicer.” “I would mess with Bumblefern if he was still here!” “Then maybe you should train.” “My mentor is being a bum…” “Would you rather talk to Stingfoot to get a different one?” “I heard that Amberface’s’s kits are late.” They could hear Beedew saying in the distance. Badgerpaw turned his head. “Sucks for her.”

Orangedust cuffed him over his head, making him fall to the ground. “She could die if something goes wrong!” She hissed. “Be more respectful!” “Ouch!” He scowled and got up. “If your mother had you late, you could be dead. Do you want that to happen to Amberface’s kits?” “No…” Badgerpaw sighed, bitterly hiding the fact that his own mother went through that. He turned to Orangedust. “I’m sorry.” “Good. Now go do something productive.”

Thank you!