Robin's paws sank into the brown mud that covered the ground. It was raining hard and the ground was carpeted by puddles of water and mud. Robin's dark brown, almost black, fur was caked with mud and he blinked rain out of his eyes as it came down in sheets. "Come on," Robin hissed to Flames, the cat with him.

"You are very determined," muttered Flames. "Y'know that?"

"Yes," Robin growled as he slipped through a hole in a fence. He came out the other side of the fence and faced a forest. It looked dark and menacing, especially in the storm. But Robin pushed his fears away. He was strong.

Sky popped up next to him, tufts of his ginger fur caught in the fence edges. "We going or are you gonna stare into the trees till someone finds us?" Robin snorted and padded bravely into the trees. Robin was surprised to find that the rain did not come down as hard in here as it did in the Twoleg Place.

"Remind me," snarled Flames. "Why are we going again? Huh, you could've at least waited for a day that we weren't covered in mud."

Robin opened his jaws to speak, but a growl interrupted him, "That's what I want to know."

Robin and Sky spun around to see a lithe tabby she-cat. Robin unsheathed his claws, only to sheath them again. "Minnow!" Robin gasped. He was relieved to see his friend, yet at the same time scared. Minnow could get pretty grumpy, but then again, she was always that way.

"Well?" Minnow demanded.

"Er, we um... just, uh, well..." Flames stammered. Minnow's glares always scared the ginger tom out of his pelt.

Raven narrowed her eyes.

"We were exploring," Robin said, confidently.

Minnow growled and started to say something, but Flames cut her off, yowling, "Look out!"

Suddenly the breath was knocked from Robin as something slammed into him. He screamed and pushed the attacker off of him. He got a long enough look at his enemy to realize it was a gray cat. But that was all before the gray cat's claws were being raked down Robin's flank. Robin yowled at flung himself at the gray cat. He tore his opponent's ear and sliced his muzzle. Come on, thought Robin. You can do better! You're a BloodClan cat! The gray cat swiped a paw at Robin, but he leaped up, twisting in mid air, and landing on his enemy's back. The gray cat yowled in suprise and tried to throw Robin off, but he hung on with unsheathed claws.

Then, just as Robin was about to deliver the killing bite, someone yowled, "STOP!"

Everyone froze to watch a ginger tom step out of the bushes and growl at the fighting cats. "What's going on?"

"Intruders, Firestar," explained the gray tom that Robin had pinned.

Firestar narrowed his eyes and mewoed, "Who are you?"

"None of your business!" Robin spat. He recognized Firestar: he was the cat who had killed Scourge! Robin flung himself at Firestar. The ginger cat stepped aside, and Robin landed on ground. But Robin quickly turned and clawed Firestar's flank. Firestar hissed and pushed Robin toward the gray cat who leaped and pinned him down again.

"They are probably BloodClan spies!" hissed the gray cat.

"Quiet Graystripe," said Firestar. He turned to Robin and bared his teeth in a warning snarl. "Leave now."

"No," snarled Robin. "You'll pay for what you did to Scourge! He was the greatest leader; much better than you will be over your puny BlunderClan!" He launched himself at Firestar and was about to bite his neck when he felt claws slashing his side. Robin growled and leaped at the golden brown tom who had attacked him.

"Brackenfur, look out!" Graystripe yowled.

Brackenfur jumped aside just as Robin hit the ground. You and Firestar are at the top of my list, Graystripe, thought Robin as he sunk his teeth into Brackenfur's shoulder. Brackenfur hissed and aimed a hard blow at Robin. He missed by a whisker, but he was fast and immediately aimed another blow and hit Robin. He fell to ground, panting. His head pounded, but he kept fighting. Blood poured from a wound on his back that Brackenfur had given him, and Robin was starting to feel dizzy.

Then he heard Flames say, "They're too strong! We have to retreat!"

For a heartbeat, he was tempted to turn and flee, but then he remembered why he had come. To take revenge on Firestar for killing Scourge. And now was his chance. Firestar was right here in front of him. He had to do it. Even if it killed him. Robin shoved Brackenfur aside and lunged at Firestar, but he jumped out of the way.

Then Robin had an idea. He climbed up the nearest tree and onto a branch just above Firestar. Then he jumped out of the tree. Just as was about to land square on Firestar's back, the ThunderClan leader moved and Robin hit the forest floor with a THUD! His one front leg twisted in a weird way that it shouldn't have gone. There was a snap! crack! Ow! Robin's leg hurt like fury. It's broken! he thought.

Sky and Raven were staring at Robin in horror. Brackenfur and Graystripe and stared at him, their expressions unreadable. Firestar was looking at him in worry and a white tom glared at him and snarled, "That should teach you not to mess with ThunderClan!"

"Silence, Cloudtail!" Firestar ordered. "Now will you leave?" he asked Robin.

Robin only growled as Sky and Raven helped him limp back to the Twoleg Place.

"I'll get for that, Firestar," growled Robin. "No matter where you go, where you hide, I'll get you. Even if it's the last thing I do!