Author's note: Again, special thanks to my beta, bunnyrave1, whom I believe I mistakenly called by her other Internet handle in my previous chapter. Sorry bout that.

Again, this can also be read on warriorsworldofgray (dot) blogspot (dot) com. Soon enough, I will be uploading pictures and in-depth character bios on there.

And special thanks to all who reviewed! I very much appreciate the interest.

Now watch as things get bad.

Chapter Two: Mission: Irrational.

Sagekit shifted her paws awkwardly as the group of kits stood outside ShadowClan's camp. Shadowkit and Mudkit were looking around, eyes wide, while Willowkit was thinking out loud to herself. Birchkit was standing next to Sagekit, his yellow eyes observing the other kits. "This wouldn't be such a bad time to try talking to them, you know," he meowed. Sagekit just shrugged. "You need more than just one friend, Sagekit."

"But I only need one best friend, and my mom says one friend that you really care about is worth more than a forest full of 'buddies'."

Birchkit just sighed and stretched slightly, and looked Sagekit in the eye. "We live in Clans. You're going to have to get used to living around a lot of cats." Sagekit shrugged, praying to StarClan that he was going to drop the subject. The gray tom looked like he might say more, when Willowkit spoke up.

"So...anyone know how to get to the WindClan border from here?"

Mudkit, an astonished look on her brown tabby face, wheeled around and asked, "You mean we came all the way out here without a plan?" Willowkit nodded hesitantly. "I'm getting the feeling this was a BAD idea! And I doubt anyone here knows what WindClan smells like!"

Sagekit thought back for a moment to the sight of her father laying in Quailspots' den with his shoulder torn, and the incredible stench that hung over his fur. "I-I-" Sagekit stopped talking as all heads turned to her, and her ears went hot. "Uh...I know what WindClan smells like."

Shadowkit pricked his ears. "Really? How?"

Before Sagekit could even take a breath, another voice broke through. "Oh, because her dad was on that patrol!" Willowkit exclaimed. "Well, then, lead the way!"

Great. Responsibility. Sagekit lifted her nose, and caught a faint scent of where the warriors that had been on the patrol had re-entered the camp. "The trail starts over here," she said, and continued on ahead of the other kits.

Birchkit caught up to her quickly. "Wow, way to make a positive impression on them during that moment of attention."

Sagekit turned to him, feeling a bit deflated. "It's not that I don't like them...it's just..."

"It's just what?"

"It's hard for me, okay?"

Birchkit nodded thoughtfully. "Right. Well, we best follow that trail then, shouldn't we?" Sagekit flicked her tail as a response. "I still think you should try and make friends with them, you know," Birchkit meowed. "But I'll always be your friend."

Sagekit purred. "Thank you." She lowered her nose to the trail, sniffing up some of the near-leaf-fall dirt, and she sneezed slightly. But she had the trail now, and she was NOT going to let herself lose it.

"Ugh," Birchkit said. "Is that yucky stench really WindClan?" Sagekit nodded briefly. "How can they LIVE with themselves smelling like that?"

"I don't know." Sagekit shrugged, and Birchkit sighed, falling back further in the line. Within the next few moments, the whole kit-patrol knew that it was WindClan they were smelling. To Sagekit, they smelt MUCH too heavily of dirt. Mud wasn't as pungent, in her opinion.

"Know where we're going?" She heard Shadowkit meow from the back, and she nodded, hoping that he saw. No need for two cats to follow the same trail. Apparently he hadn't seen, though, because a few moments later, he asked again. "Hey, Sagekit, do you know where we're going?"

"Yeah," She looked back to see Shadowkit nod, obviously thinking that she hadn't heard him the first time.

They took an easy pace through the forest, but Sagekit did her best to stay ahead of the rest of the group, even Birchkit. He was busily chatting away with his sister. Sometimes I envy them. They always have each other: Brother and sister for all time. It would be...nice. Sagekit couldn't help but think, Maybe if I had a sibling, I wouldn't be afraid of talking to my denmates.

But then again, neither Mudkit, Willowkit, nor Shadowkit had made too much of an attempt to talk to her...or maybe she was expecting too much of them? After all, maybe, when they became apprentices, all of them would become close. Well, Hawkstorm said she had to wait for moons before Sootblaze noticed her, Sagekit reasoned. It would make sense.

The scent of the WindClan cats was becoming stronger now. They probably still weren't out of the middle of ShadowClan territory yet, but they were getting closer. Sagekit's thoughts were interrupted by a squeal from behind, a collective pair of thuds, and a slight moan of pain. She turned to see that Shadowkit had fallen over on top of Birchkit, effectively smashing the smaller kit into the marshy ground, and Sagekit tried not to snicker.

"Whoa," Shadowkit meowed, surprised. "I'm sorry. Are you okay, Birchkit?" The gray tom nodded and stood up, but he was shaking. All mirth that she had possessed at the sight of her best friend planted in the muddy ground of ShadowClan's territory disappeared as she realized that Birchkit wasn't applying full pressure to one of his legs.

Willowkit turned to her brother and pressed up against his side. "No you're not," She said. "Your leg's been hurt, you flea-brain."

"I'm fine," Birchkit said, but when he tried to step away from her side, the apparent pain in his paw made him stumble. Sagekit took a few paw steps forward, ready to help him should he try to move more than he could handle.

Mudkit padded over to her brother, flattening her ears. "Be a bit more careful, mouse-brain!" Sagekit could tell, however, that underneath the growling tone, she wasn't really mad; she was just worried that he'd hurt someone else. Shadowkit, however, just drooped his head and flicked his tail dejectedly.

Sagekit looked on at the scene awkwardly, not sure whether she should say something, and saw that Mudkit was already poised to help Birchkit any more if he needed it. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Shadowkit, who sat on his haunches and glared at ShadowClan's marsh, as if blaming them for the fall. That doesn't seem too far from the truth, actually.

"Uh," Shadowkit turned his attention to her, blinking in confusion. Have I made so little of an effort to be friendly before? "You know, it's not your fault. I mean...We've never been out here before." Sagekit deeply wished she had chosen against saying anything, because for one, she sounded like a total mouse-brain, and for two, she probably just should have gone to Birchkit. He would appreciate the attempt, even though he didn't need any more help.

But to her surprise, Shadowkit just blinked. "Uh...thanks, Sagekit." He flicked his tail, looking at her with an expression that mixed discomfort and gratitude, and padded over to the other kits who were helping Birchkit.

Sagekit sighed heavily. That was WAY too hard. Nevertheless, she turned back to the group, and saw that Birchkit was now standing despite the lack of weight placed on his paw. She padded over and asked, "You doing okay there?"

He nodded; there was a faint cast of pain over his eyes. "I can walk, for sure," he said, and took a few paces forward. "Lead the way, Sagekit."

Quietly, Sagekit resumed her post at the front of the line and picked up WindClan's dirt scent-trail. When I find them, I'll find out why they hurt my father like that. She shuddered at the memory of his ripped, bleeding shoulder, and felt the urge not to gag. I hate how painful that looked. I can't let this go unanswered.

They were all walking side by side now, with Sagekit a bit ahead of the others. Birchkit pulled up to her side and meowed, "Do you think we're getting close? I don't really feel like we are."

Sagekit shook her head. "I think we'll know it when we smell it. I think we've got a little more walking before we get to the actual border..."

Birchkit nodded and opened his mouth to taste the air. "It's really heavily intermingled with our scent here, so we still have a ways to go." Sagekit blinked in surprise. How does he know that? Birchkit saw her expression and purred a bit. "Haha, can't really distinguish?" She shook her head. "Hm. Maybe that's just you, or maybe it's just me that can."

Sagekit laughed a bit under her breath, but cut off when a night breeze blew through ShadowClan territory, bringing with it a much heavier scent of WindClan. She looked up, tasting the air and pricking her ears. "Smell that?" Birchkit nodded. "We're getting really close."

"Tell the others, then." Sagekit shook her head stubbornly. I know what you're trying to do, and I don't want to do it. So there. "Come on, Sagekit. You've spoken to all of them before, and you JUST spoke to Shadowkit. How bad can it be?"

Sagekit sighed and turned around. "Hey, we're getting pretty close," she meowed, and Willowkit pricked her ears.

"Great! We can finally give WindClan what's coming to them!" Mudkit nodded, and purred exuberantly.

"I thought this was a peaceful patrol," Shadowkit said, and Willowkit nodded. "So, how do you 'give WindClan what's coming to them' peacefully?" Willowkit stared at him hard for a moment, and the black tom kit took a step in the opposite direction. Sagekit looked on, inwardly amused.

"That doesn't really matter, Shadowkit," Mudkit meowed, waving the question off and yawning. "Besides, the sooner this patrol is done, the quicker we can go back as heroes and get some sleep." As if we'll be greeted as heroes. We'll be seen as kits sneaking out at night until WindClan actually tells ShadowClan what we did. That's if this patrol even works, which I can only hope it will.

The scent of WindClan was powerful now, and Sagekit vaguely wondered if there were any warriors nearby for them to talk to. Willowkit sniffed the air loudly. "Wow, we're almost at the border!" She gave a little bounce, but suddenly froze, flicking her ears in all directions. "We've got to be quieter, though," she whispered, dropping down to a low sneak and creeping behind a bramble thicket. "Let's go find a patrol. If they're being hoss-tie-yul, then they're going to be constantly looking in on us, right?"

That made sense, so Sagekit ducked down behind the bush with the other kits. She accidentally walked into Birchkit when she wasn't paying attention, and apologized quietly, but apparently, it was just loud enough. Because a moment later, there was the sound of pawsteps nearby, and a gruff voice said, "All right, ShadowClan slime, who's over there? Show yourselves!"

This time, upon observation, even Willowkit looked nervous, but before she could hesitate, Birchkit stepped forward. Sagekit shivered as her best friend squeezed through the undergrowth. Next, his sister followed, and Sagekit stepped out from behind the thorns next. She heard Shadowkit and Mudkit follow behind, but did not turn to see.

She shuddered as she saw what they were faced with, though. A huge dark brown tabby tom was glaring down at them with acidic green eyes. With him, there was a light gray tom, his face twisted into a cruel sneer at the kits, a powerful black-and-white tom, and a ginger she-cat with dark paws. The latter two held very neutral expressions; the black-and-white one especially concerned.

The first two, however, were a completely different story.

"Well what do we have here?" The light gray tom said. "ShadowClan kits, away from camp at such a late time of night?"

"Silence, Pikepelt," the black-and-white tom said, shooting a furious glare at him. He turned back to face the kits. "Why are you away from camp, young ones?"

Willowkit looked like she was about to speak up when the dark brown tabby chuckled coldly. "It doesn't matter, Badgerfrost. You all heard Whisperstar's orders." He twisted his face into a wicked snarl.

The black-and-white tom, Badgerfrost, gasped. "No! Gustheart, you can't be serious. They're just kits!" The reddish-brown she-cat looked uncomfortable, but she did not say anything, or could not, because Gustheart spoke up again a moment later.

Gustheart turned on the black-and-white tom. "I am the deputy, and I'm following the leader's orders! Do as I say, or I'll report you for treason!" Badgerfrost glared furiously at him, and shook his broad head stubbornly. Gustheart spat. "Fine! See how well things go for you back at camp! What will your mate say? And her newborn kits?"

"What would my kits say if they knew what their father had done?"

Gustheart snorted. "All right. We can do without you, you useless boulder." He turned his green eyes to the kits. "Time to follow through with orders."

"Wait!" Willowkit exclaimed, and Gustheart turned his terrifying gaze to her. Sagekit thought that the gray-and-white kit would drop with fear, but she held her ground. "I dont' know what you want to do, but we're just here to talk to you! We wanted to find out why you hurt Sagekit's father."

Pikepelt, the gray tom, stepped forward, his ears pricked and the sneer still on his face. "Oh? And who is her father?" He asked, his voice sounding oddly concerned. That's not right with his expression.

"Sootblaze, a dark gray tabby and white tom," Shadowkit said. Sagekit was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. Why did Badgerfrost look so horrified?

Gustheart's eyes lit up at that. "Aaah, Sootblaze. I know who hurt him..." He trailed off into a snicker that sent shivers down Sagekit's spine, and she took a step back, running into Shadowkit, who in turn stepped back a bit more. The dark brown tabby's eyes found her, though, and she began to feel like a shriveling leaf. "Your father, then?" Hesitantly, Sagekit nodded. "Well, I'll tell you who it was that hurt him." He snickered again. "That would be me."

"WHAT?" Mudkit took a step back. "Why would you do that to him?"

"Why not?" Pikepelt laughed, throwing his gray head back. "Besides, it's all according to orders! Which we have some to attend to, by the way."

"And what would that be?" Birchkit sounded braver than Sagekit had ever felt, and the light gray tom stepped forward to stand right in front of the patrol.

Badgerfrost turned to Pikepelt. "Please, I beg you, don't do this-"

He was cut off by a lash of Gustheart's tail. Pikepelt just glowered at him, before turning back to Birchkit. "Destroy any patrol you find."

Sagekit's body went cold. He doesn't seem to want to take pity on kits.

Horror struck Sagekit as, all in an instant, Pikepelt had dove down and picked Birchkit up in his teeth by the neck, biting him fiercely. Willowkit screeched and threw herself at the gray tom's leg, but he swatted her away with claws unsheathed. She heard the sounds of the red she-cat leaping into battle with Shadowkit and Mudkit, but was in such shock from Birchkit's squeals of pain that she didn't turn her head.

Sagekit was about to leap at Pikepelt to help her friend when a dark brown paw got in her way. She looked up, trembling, to see Gustheart standing over her, and before she could react, there was something blocking one eye, and then a split second later, something sharp digging into the loose skin around her eye.

She wailed in pain as the flesh around her eye was punctured and scraped along. Sagekit heard Shadowkit exclaim in horror, and a wail of pain as Willowkit was knocked down again, but she couldn't pay attention. The agony that gripped her as Gustheart dug into her like a piece of prey, laughing under his breath the whole way, was too much for her.

She had only wanted to help, to find out what her father had been hurt for. And what if she was to die for it? What would be accomplished from an injured tom losing his only kit? In spite of everything, she felt a pang of guilt. None of us should have come. And now we're going to die for it. Is that how it ends?

Gustheart dug in deeper, but Sagekit barely managed a faint cry of pain. This tom would certainly kill her. There wasn't much left to do; her consciousness was leaving her. All she could make out around her were cries of pain, and she could swear she heard the crunch of a breaking bone.

But abruptly, there were new cries, those of anger, and she was dropped to the ground. Sagekit could not force her body to move now. Warm, wet blood was pooling over her face, and her eyes would not open, but she thought she could smell warriors of her own Clan. The sounds of battle faded, only to be replaced by the faint whimpering and crying of injured kits.

Breath tickled her fur as a cat leaned down to her weak body. "Oh, StarClan, how could you let this happen to them?" A voice-Hawkstorm? She couldn't tell. Her hearing was fading as well. As gentle teeth picked her up by the scruff, Sagekit could feel the blood dripping off of her and onto the marshy ground.

The last thing she thought of before she fell into a turbulent darkness were those green eyes.

Author's Note: Uh...yes. For all of you who were aware that this story wasn't going to be happy...now you know. Flames, crits, and general comments are all welcomed.

And things only get worse from here. You have been warned...

Fun fact: I wrote a Warriors fanfic for NaNo two years back that featured a major villain that possessed acidic green eyes. Some WindClan characters have names that are homage to major characters in that fic, that I might upload later on...