Adopted from Hissing Willows. Trigger Warning: Graphic.

Redstreak ran as fast as his legs would take him. The small kit- his sister -hung by he scruff, and she caused him to slow slightly. His breath was fast and ragged, and he halted for a moment. He looked behind and saw the twolegs and their monsters. He needed to run. He shivered and took off once more.

In moments he came across the border between WindClan and ThinderClan. Fox-dung. Major fox-dung. He had to get across! He needed escape from the twolegs who were picking off his clanmates and stuffing them in those awful "cages".

The ginger tom saw a floating stick and used a paw to bring it closer. Ah, driftwood would have to do for the moment. Panic began to build up in his chest when he realized it was too small to carry both him and Flamekit. "Please, StarClan." He looked up at the sky, hoping his starry ancestors could hear his prayer. "Allow her to find safety." Then, to the kit, he said, "I'll be back. You stay on this. Some cats will find you, I promise. But it's the only way you can stay safe." Redstreak's voice cracked.

"Brother?" Flamekit tilted her head, amber eyes full of confusion and terror. "I-I can't swim!"

"I know, little one." He picked her up and gently placed her on the wood, ignoring her protests. "So stay on this until someone finds you." For a moment she resisted, trying to get back onto solid ground. Then, reluctantly, she nodded her head.

"I will."

Then the tom pushed her away, toward the other side of the shore. He knew it was dangerous. He knew she had a chance of drowning or being found by a fox or badger. But it was definitely better than being caught by the twolegs. He'd rather them get him than his sister. Besides, they had a better chance of finding her if she was on land. And StarClan knew what would happen and what she'd have to go through if she was caught…he didn't want that.

Redstreak stared for a moment before running once more. He had strong legs for sprinting, but he was afraid to leap across the river. He certainly wasn't a swimmer, nor was he a jumper. Redstreak heard the loud roaring of the monsters coming closer, and he bunched his muscles. It was a stream! He could get over it!

No...he was afraid of water. Ever since the incident when he was a kit and had almost died. His other sister hadn't made it though…Great StarClan, what was he thinking! He needed to survive! Who cared about a petty fear? Well, he did. He couldn't help it. The water was so daunting, and the more he looked at it, the more the stream became a lake. He cursed and spun around. Maybe he could make it to RiverClan. Then he stopped and his heart skipped a beat.

He groaned when he saw the twolegs coming toward him. They'd found him. He looked around wildly, trying to find a good escape. Redstreak gathered all the courage he could muster and ran straight at the twolegs. He let out an ear-splitting yowl, racing right past their legs. Triumphant, he turned toward RiverClan. Hopefully he could find refuge there. And the twolegs wouldn't want to have to go through mud and water to get to him, would they?

Oh, if only victory could last longer.

Redstreak growled as large pink paws wrapped themselves around him. He screeched, scratching and biting wildly. He almost got out, but was promptly stuffed in a tight, cold cage. It pressed against his body, and he felt like he was being strangled. "I can't...breathe!" He gasped, trying to get out. It was too late. He was stuck. "Help me!" He yowled. "StarClan!" He cried to the invisible stars in the blue sky. It was too much of a nice day for what was happening to him and his Clanmates.

He tried to break out using brute force and ended up bruising himself. He wailed, hoping the twolegs would take pity in him and possibly allow him to live. Well, chances of that were slim.

As he was put into the belly of a large gray monster, he glimpsed the cruel face of a twoleg. Redstreak shuddered as his green eyes met the merciless blue ones of the pale, pink creature. "Why?" He screeched. "Why did you do this?!" Then it was all dark. He could hear his other Clanmates, and he felt his heart sink. They were all calling out in the darkness, everyone hoping for rescue. Hoping that someone, anyone would save them.

What seemed like hours later he finally saw light. But that was only the beginning of what would come to be the worst days of his life.

Redstreak and the others were put into slightly bigger cages. What seemed to be dried grass lined the floor. He was given stale brown pellets for food, and murky water that was supposed to be something he drank. When he got desperate he did eat and drink the disgusting things, but for most of the time he tried to avoid them.

The first day was terrible. The twolegs walked past him in white pelts, holding sharp objects. He flinched every time, his heart racing. He had no idea what they were going to do to him and his Clanmates. Redstreak whimpered, his whole body shaking. Then they finally opened the cage, quickly grabbing him before he could try to escape. They pinned him to a hard surface, not allowing him to move. He could barely breathe, and he kept on shivering whenever something touched him.

Then, one of the sharp things poked him. He tried to move away, but the...whatever they were held him down tightly. Suddenly, his blood felt as though it were on fire. Redstreak let out a yowl of agony. He continued to do so, his body shaking and jerking upwards. His throat became dry and hoarse, and he began to vomit. What had the twolegs done to him? It was like a painful type of yarrow that made his body feel as though it were being set on fire.

He writhed, and all he could feel was a horrible agony. He gasped for breath, his stomach aching. When he tried to throw up again nothing came up. His stomach was completely empty. Soon he was just vomiting water. Stomach acid burned his throat and left an acrid taste in his mouth.

There was another poke, and it all came to a stop. He went limp with relief and whimpered. He was still shaking as he was un pinned and thrown back into the cage.

Redstreak crept into a corner, wrapping his tail around his body and hiding his face. He tried to hide himself from everything, feeling nothing but pain and fear. He flinched when he recognized the Clan leader's voice, Featherstar. She meowed defiantly, but a moment later she began to yowl in agony, as Redstreak had. Were they going to do the same thing to everyone they had captured?

He shuddered, hunching his shoulders together. "StarClan save us all." He whispered hoarsely.

But Redstreak would later realize that it would have been better to die, if anything at all.