The rain was coming down so rapidly it looked like long transparent streaks of light, the drain was growling and hissing as the water poured down. The allies were wet, puddles flowing with water as it splashed up around the paws of several ally cats looking for shelter in the New York ally way the lived in.

A dark gray tom with a white muzzle leaped to the top of a closed dumpster, yowling for the others to crowd around before speaking, "Shade is having her kittens, they'll freeze if we don't get them warmth and shelter." The tom hollered, flicking his tail toward the black she-cat who was lying under an empty box with a small kit suckling. "There's no hope for them here, Smokey!" A dark brown tabby she-cat yowled, glancing at Shades helpless kit. "Yeah, they need to be taken somewhere they'll survive and be healthy!" A black and white tom growled over the loud rain. Before anyone else could speak lightning cracked the sky, a huge white claw reached down, grabbing tree before it fell to the ground. The cats shuttered, their eyes huge with terror. "We must flee!" A smoky gray tom, almost black hissed. "No Shadow, don't be a coward!" Smokey hissed, leaping down from the dumpster to stand in front of the ally cats.

"If you keep them here they'll die in weather like this. Is that what you want, to take the lives of helpless kits?" The black and white tom yowled.

"Of course not, Oscar."

"It seems like it," A scrawny pale ginger she-cat hissed from the back of the group, her piercing blue eyes meeting Smokey's firmly. "What is it with all of you, tonight? I can't believe you guys, especially you Shadow. You're always by my side, and Oscar you've never let me down… except for now!" Smokey growled. "We don't want to hear your sap story." The pale ginger she-cat rasped, her fur soaked as she shivered, pelting for shelter beneath the dumpster. "Rusty, come back." Smokey meowed, sighing. "I'll help find food, Smokey! Central park is full of mice, every alley cat knows that." A tortoiseshell and white she-cat meowed. "Thank you so much, Patches. But one cat is not enough!"

"I'll help. It shouldn't be hard to find a blanket or something in a dumpster." Oscar meowed timidly. "Whatever I can do to help, I'll do." Shadow grumbled. "Rusty, what about you?" Smokey meowed. The pale she-cat crept out from beneath the dumpster.

"I suppose."

Suddenly lightning cracked the sky again, shuttering the cats looked up to see a dark gray tom bounding toward them. As he got closer they could see he held many scars, one was raked across his face in the shape of an 'x' and another across his flank where hair would never grow again. His eyes were cold, as he stared at each of them. His lean muscles tensed under his pelt, rippling and ready for battle. "Those kits aren't alley cats." He hissed, drawing back his bottom lip in a snarl as he brushed past each of them. "They're Clan cats, they're born to fight, hunt and kill!" He snarled.

Rusty ducked, creeping back under the dumpster and peering out at the massive tom as he gazed at them, his claws scraping on the hard ash fault. "LagoonClan can give them a real home. What kind of future do you think they have in an alley, I bet you only want them so you have more cats to defend your alleys?" The tom rasped. "Get out of our alley!" Smokey growled, pushing his way through the cats to meet the toms piercing gaze. "Make me." The tom snorted. "I fathered these kits, and I take on responsibility for them, it's my decision if I want to put them in a safe environment in let them live in fear everyday!"

"Who are you, your language sounds funny to us?" Oscar hissed through gritted teeth. "Stonepelt, long time deputy of LagoonClan." The tom replied, his neck fur bristling. "Stonepelt, is that you?" Shade purred, yowling for the tom.

Stonepelt turned to see the she-cat lying restlessly in the cardboard box. "My kits were born in twoleg rubbish?"

Smokey growled deep in his throat. "Enough of this, go now or we all attack!"

"No please don't, Smokey. I love Stonepelt, he's a true warrior." Shade purred helplessly. "Then if he's such a warrior he'll go back to where he came from. Real warriors aren't traitors, they don't run away and have kits with rogues!" Smokey taunted, snarling. "How would you know anything about the warrior code, you aren't a half a warrior." Stonepelt retorted. "You're a mouse-brained excuse for a cat."

Smokey's fur bristled, as he bunched his muscles. "I used to be a warrior, I know what it's like living in a war zone! I ran away to find help, and I found them, on the verge of death! I can't leave them and let them go back to see through pelts and every bone showing."

"You were a warrior? I find that hard to believe." Stonepelt laughed with amusement. "My name was Smokestar, I was leader of JungleClan!"

Stonepelt gritted his teeth, "Smokestar, you were the one who murdered Lizardstripe, and she was from your own Clan. I've heard of you, you're just like Tigerstar." He hissed. "Is that story what you've been telling them? You came here so you can rule the whole alley, eh?"

"No, my story is true." Smokey rasped. "Now leave, before I have to kill you." The gray tom leaned in closer before whispering so only he could hare. "too, you can die just like Lizardstripe did. And once again I'll listen to your blood gurgling as you choke and die!"

Stonepelt pulled away from him before leaping on the tomcat. The cats watched the two go at it, a screeching ball of fur.

It wasn't long before Shadow pulled the two apart, growling at both of them to stop. "Mouse brains."

"Just give me the kits, at least one of them." Stonepelt's sides heaved as he padded toward Shade. "Fine, you can have one, but Shade gets to decide what on it is." Smokey hissed.

Shade looked confused. "I, I love them all. I can't give just one up!" She meowed, rasping her tongue over each of their heads. "I guess I'll give up the first one that was born."

The she-cat flicked her tail toward the silvery she-kit. "But it's too early to take her away from the mother."

"Exactly, Stonepelt." Smokey retorted, twitching his whiskers with satisfaction. "Then I'll stay here until it's four moons old. By then it'll be able to at least eat on it's own, walk and see!" Stonepelt meowed. "I suppose that's okay. And it'll be nice having you around, too." Shade purred, nuzzling Stonepelts side.