Blood streamed off the tip of Smokepaw's tail as he shoved his way through branches and twigs, running far from his home to never come back. His lungs burned with the fire of a thousand claws scratching down his flanks. But he was a determined cat, and he kept running for what seemed like sky-lengths before a shot of pain struck his leg. He collapsed to the dusty ground below him, cradling his limb in his leftover paws. This has to be a dream. It can't be happening..

"Hey, you!" Blurry voices began to sound from the tips of Smokepaw's consciousness, and as he opened his eyes he could make out two worried faces, one of a she-cat younger than him but older than a kit's age, and another of an older tom.

"Are you okay?" The tom asked again, gently prodding Smokepaw with a large yellow paw.

"Father! His paw is cut open!" The she-kit was looking all over Smokepaw and she had grabbed his front paw. A large stick had embedded itself in his paw, and she was staring at it in horror. Has she never seen blood before? The apprentice snatched his paw back and attempted to stand on all fours.

Immediately he collapsed back to the ground. "Ugh." Looking back up he noticed the two strangers staring at him. "Oh, uh.." he paused.

"What happened to you?" The yellow tom murmured.

Smokepaw looked down. "My home was destroyed. I have nothing where I came from. So I ran away." The yellow tom bowed his head for a moment, as if remembering Smokepaw's home as it was his own. These cats might not be bad.

"Can I stay with you?" Smokepaw asked, his black eartips perking up. Both cats nodded and the yellow tom gestured for him to lean on his side so they could walk through the forest.

"Our names are Milo and Thunder." Thunder. "We live here in the forest with my mate and Milo's littermates. You may stay as long as you need, Smokepaw," meowed the yellow tom, kindness sparkling in his yellow eyes.

"Where do you come from?" Milo yipped. Thunder shot her a meaningful glance, but Smokepaw answered.

"I am from a Clan of cats. But invaders came and killed everyone except me."

"I'm sorry." Milo glanced downwards to her golden paws. She looked like her father.

"It's fine."

The cats padded through the trees in silence until they reached a thick oak trunk towering into the sunhigh sky.

"I'm not sure how we're gonna get you up here, Smokepaw." Thunder cast a concerned glance up the tree and Smokepaw followed his gaze.

"You live up there?" Smokepaw asked, bewilderment crawling into his green gaze.

"Yep!" Milo mewed with a hint of pride.

Smokepaw launched himself onto the trunk, crawling his way up like a spider with three legs. His useless paw dangled from the tree awkwardly. Soon he was at the top, and looked down with a smirk. "I made it!"

"Wow.." Milo whispered.

"The kits in my Clan were trained to climb! I was always the best," Smokepaw bragged, but immediately grew sad thinking of them. Thinking of the blood. He could've buried them.

Smokepaw noticed that Thunder and Milo were making their way up the trunk, so he took a moment to explore. Their home was up in the tallest part of the tree, and was a flat, roomy area in between three branches sheltered by their leaves. A rabbit lay on a pile of leaves in the center of the bare trunk and he stared at it hungrily.

"Dig in," grunted Thunder, noticing how the gray apprentice was eying the fresh kill. "Our family should be here soon. They'd love to meet you." Smokepaw followed with no complaints and relished the taste of rabbit meat. If only Thrushtail or Quailpaw was here to share it with him after a hunt. Quailpaw loved rabbit.

Flashes of ripped open carcasses appeared in Smokepaw's mind. He yowled suddenly and Thunder glanced at him, seeing the new tears running down his cheeks. "I'm sorry about your Clan," he murmured. "But you lived for a reason." His brilliant yellow eyes turned to the sky, looking at the sun. "I have heard of your Clans before. How you have ancestors in the stars."

Smokepaw nodded.

"Well, I don't believe in that. But I do think everything happens for a reason. And I see greatness in you," he said, looking back down at Smokepaw before turning to speak to Milo.

Smokepaw lay down in a moss bed similar to his own on the edge of one of the branches. It felt like home.

But home was gone.

Forever.