I've got to start updating more… I feel so terrible… first I had these weird camps and then school and the homework and AAUGH I feel so stupid. Here's Chapter 2, though… finally… hope you like it!!

Chapter 2: Going Home

Bright and early the next morning, Miranda, Graystripe and Hershey snuck out the back door. Miranda brought nothing with them, except a little food and water and the clothes on her back. She left her parents no note, and had no idea where she was going. Is the coast clear, Hershey? she asked telepathically.

Hershey frantically looked around, and nodded.

Miranda sighed with relief. "Good. My brain was starting to hurt from speaking through my mind."

Hershey chuckled. Graystripe grunted, and looked up at Miranda expectantly.

"What?" she looked down at him, putting her hands inside the pockets of her blue parka.

"So, are you going to do it?"

"Do what?"

"Change. Turn back into Skypaw."

"Uh, I can't. Only Starclan has that power."

Graystripe looked down and closed his eyes for a moment. "They're not here," he said, opening them again. "Looks like we're on our own."

"We can cover more ground on my bike," said Miranda. "There's room for you two in the basket."

"What's a bike?" said Graystripe.

"It's… uh…" Miranda wasn't sure how to explain that to him.

"It's like a Twoleg monster, but much calmer," Hershey explained.

"Er, yeah, what she said," said Miranda, twirling her long black hair. She was more out of touch with her old clan life than she thought.

Miranda led Hershey and Graystripe to the shed and opened the creaky wooden door. Inside was a forest green mountain bike with a jet black basket, ironically accented with a lightning bolt. Miranda wheeled it out of the shed and set down the kickstand a few feet from Hershey and Graystripe.

Hershey leaped from the ground to the basket without a sound. Graystripe hesitated. "We have to sit in there?!" he protested.

"It's either that or we take months to find the clan because we walk. And we could get caught," Miranda said, laying down an ultimatum. Hershey scooted over in the basket to make room for her friend. Graystripe sighed, and hesitated again. Before he could say or do anything else, Miranda promptly scooped him and plopped him down beside Hershey.

Graystripe grumbled like an elder, ears flat. He felt as if he'd lost his dignity. Hershey giggled and flicked her tail across his nose.

Miranda kicked her helmet into the dust of the back of the driveway behind her. She put up the kickstand with her foot, and walked the bike to the front yard. Taking one last look at her old white house, she took off down the street.

Hershey calmly stuck her head out the site of the basket in a dog-like fashion, enjoying the wind in her fur. Graystripe was taken aback by the sudden rush of wind, and he yowled in protest, and dug his claws into the bottom of the basket, his fur flying backward.

Miranda laughed at Graystripe as she pedaled in the direction of the old barn, where Ravenpaw lived. At long last, she was free! Free from her tyrannical parents. Free from that house. Free from being a slave. She felt like she was leaving a prison, and on her way home, where she truly belonged.

But where was home? Miranda didn't know. But she did know one thing. I'll find it's the last thing I do! She told herself. She was sure of it.

Oh… my… gosh… am I done?! Am I really done?! Whoopie!!!! Finally!!! This took all my willpower to finish. I'm so sorry this is so short, and I'm sorrier still that you guys had to wait so long. I don't know when the next chapter will come out, as I am forever cursed to not meet deadlines. High School brings all the pressure in the world. Hopefully I'll be able to finish in less than a year… I hope… (see Swimstar? I got the next one out before 2008… barely XD) Rosepelt out!