*~Well I just finished the chapter, It's another long one! Thanks for the reviews last chapter, I hope you guys like this one just as much. Currently I'm writing yet another story, which I will post when I finish it, but i really like how its turning out. Anyway, I have the next chapter done, but I won't update until I get 30 reviews. *Stays Stubborn* That won't be to hard, considering there were 84 people reading this the other day. Well I have another poll on my profile, check it out and please vote! Thanks!~*

~Leo~

CHAPTER 2

Ferns parted as Lionstar stopped at a small Thunderpath, waiting for the others to catch up. Hollyleaf and Cloudtail had come to them with a kittypet who claimed to be Princess's grandson, his sister told him about how Ravenpaw and Barley's barn burnt down.

But Lionstar needed to see this for himself, he couldn't just take the word of a kittypet.

"We're nearing WindClan camp" a voice meowed, coming from Morningflower who was surprisingly keeping pace. "Its right past the Thunderpath" she meowed, flicking her tail towards a flat moorland that looked almost identical to their previous home.

But it probably didn't look like it once did, there were a few twoleg homes built across the plains, but not as many that were in ThunderClan camp.

"Well" a voice meowed coming from Sandstorm, "We know now what they did with Fourtrees."

He turned to his grandmother, to see her gaze flickering to a large Twoleg den, with the smells of their disgusting food flowing from the openings.

"That's where the twolegs eat" a voice coming from Leo meowed, "I bet they'd give you some if you go right up there. Their quite nice actually."

A snort came from Redclaw of ShadowClan, "Then why don't you go get some kittypet food from your precious twolegs? I'm sure they'd love to feed and care for you."

Lionstar narrowed his eyes, did ShadowClan cats always have to be so rude and sarcastic? But apparently the kittypet could take care of himself, as he moved forward to face Redclaw.

"Is that your stomach I just heard growling for food? Well if twolegs just hand food out for cats like you, then why don't you come and get some with me?".

The black and ginger tom looked as if he was unsure of what to do, and then puffed out his chest defiantly. "I don't need kittypet food to survive, I'd rather go hungry!" he meowed proudly, turning away.

A snort came from Olivenose, his sister. "You'd probably run away as soon as they came out" she chuckled, "Remember when that twoleg kit ventured into ShadowClan camp? Redclaw ran up a tree he was so scared!".

Cats from all clans laughed as the ShadowClan cat's fur puffed out in embarrassment, and he turned to cross the Thunderpath.

Suddenly Lionstar saw a monster racing down the Thunderpath, and Redclaw was right in its path! Bolting from where he stood, the leader ran into the warrior, knocking him onto the other side just as the monster sped by.

A dust cloud filled the air where he stood, as Redclaw turned around with a furious expression splattered onto his face.

"I don't need help from you ThunderClan rat" he growled, licking his fur and turning away.

Oh how pleasant you are after I just saved your life! The ShadowClan tom could at least be grateful that he was alive.

"Thank you Lionstar" Tigerstripe came up to the leader, "Redclaw may not appreciate it, but I do. I'd rather have a snotty cat like him alive then dead."

Lionstar smiled, the ShadowClan deputy was so different then all the other cats in his clan. Never had he met a ShadowClan cat so nice and snappy like him, except for Tawnypelt and Flamestone of course.

He didn't know how Dawnfire was related to them, she was the most evil cat in the clans history, perhaps she got it from her father's side?

"Its right up there!" Leo meowed, pointing with his tail to the patch of Moorland that stood past twoleg place.

Lionstar nodded in thanks, and once everyone was across the Thunderpath, he lead them towards the spot. At first the leader thought his eyes might be deceiving him, there was no barn! But then he remembered what the kittypet had said, after it burnt down, the twolegs tore the remaining parts down.

But the question on his mind was, Where was Ravenpaw and Barley? Lionstar didn't know, but as he crossed the small bits of forest that still lay around, he intended to find out. The clans quickly made there way to the place where the barn once lay, and Lionstar gazed up in shock.

Lionstar stood in front of the spot where the barn once lay, seeming puzzled. If he were in Ravenpaw and Barley's place, where would he go? And then it clicked in his mind, Twolegplace! There was another strip of twoleg place past the barn, near where the sun-drown place lay.

"Leo" Lionstar called to the golden kittypet, beckoning for him to come forward.

Racing towards the ThunderClan leader, the tom cat looked at him expectantly.

"Is there a possibility that Ravenpaw and Barley went into that strip of twoleg homes?" he asked, hoping there was.

Leo tilted his head, thinking about Lionstar's question for a moment. "I guess so" he finally meowed, "That would explain why I havn't seen them in awhile, there are to many mean cats over there. I make sure to stay near my twolegs."

At least they might still be around here, or even still alive! That was something to be grateful for.

"Why are we here?" an aggravated voice came from Breezepelt, "We should be heading to the Sun-drown place, not looking at a burnt down barn!".

Sighing, Lionstar turned to the persnickety tom. "We are going to the Sun-drown Place Breezepelt" he explained, "But I would like to know if Ravenpaw or Barley are in the area first, they might know more about the area we'll be traveling through."

The black tom snorted, as his father Crowfeather came out of nowhere and cuffed him over the ears.

"Don't talk that way to a leader" he growled, "You need to learn some respect for your elders."

Breezepelt gaped, "But I'm older than him!"

Crowfeather just glared at his son, as Midnight the badger chuckled.

"Just like father he is" she smiled, "Attitude same is it not?" the badger asked Crowfeather, as he turned away to go in another direction.

Lionstar couldn't help but feel bad for the WindClan warrior, his father had always been strict on him, perhaps thats why he's such a fur-ball. Looking at the WindClan cat Crowfeather walk away, Lionstar couldn't help but wonder who his real father was?

For so long he thought it was Crowfeather, it just made sense! But Leafpool had told Jayfeather that they were wrong, who was their true father?

Twigs crunched as the cats traveled through the narrow strips of woods that surrounded the twoleg homes. They might as well search for Ravenpaw and Barley on their way to the Sundrown-Place, it was worth a shot.

Lionstar stopped to make sure his clan was keeping up pace, thankfully they were. ThunderClan and RiverClan took the lead, as WindClan and ShadowClan followed closely behind them.

"How far is it to your home?" Sunspirit asked Midnight, as the golden she-cat traveled next to the lumbering badger.

Midnight looked up with her beady eyes, "Far not young one. Caverns past Twoleg Place, then Zodiac we find."

Lionstar perked his ears, as did Sunspirit.

"Who's Zodiac?" the small warrior asked curiously, "Is he a badger also?".

The she-badger nodded, "Kin of mine he is, Zodiac older than stars. Journey across desert he knows well, tell us he will."

So there were other badgers than Midnight in the area, and by the sound of it, Zodiac sounded as nice as Midnight.

Up ahead cats began to stop, as the trail of forest came to an end. It was to much of a chance if all the cats traveled into twoleg place, no they needed a patrol to search for Ravenpaw and Barley. He spotted Cinderheart talking with Poppyfrost, and padded over to his deputy.

"I'm going to search for any signs of Ravenpaw" he meowed, "The rest of you can stay back here and rest. I'll take a small patrol with me."

Cindeheart nodded, "Do you want me to send a hunting patrol out? The queens are complaining about food."

Lionstar shook his head, "If you can please, we need as much food as we can get."

The deputy nodded and padded off to gather up a patrol of various clan cats, all four clans were pretty much one large clan now.

"Can I come with you?" the tortoiseshell form of Poppyfrost meowed, "I'm sick of staying back and doing nothing."

Could he really handle being with the she-cat right now? After all that happened back at the tribe, did Poppyfrost still like him?

"Um sure" he gulped, giving his chest a lick, "I'll just gather up the rest of the patrol and then we'll leave."

Her blue eyes watched the leader as he turned around to decide who else would come.

He spotted the golden-brown pelt of Thornclaw playing with his two kits, Tinderkit and Emberkit. The senior warrior had lost a lot of respect from ThunderClan, when he sided with Dawnfire. But in the end Thornclaw had made the right choice, he chose his family and deserved a second chance.

"Thornclaw" Lionstar called to the tom, as he made his way across the relaxing cats. He perked his ears and stood up, as Lionstar approached. "I'm leading a patrol into Twolegplace, can you come?" he asked, hopefully Thornclaw would be glad to go.

"Sure" he meowed enthusiastically, "Let me just bring the kits to Hazeltail and I'll be ready."

Lionstar nodded as the father turned to gather his kits, but Emberkit slipped out of her father's grasp.

"Have you seen Jayfeather?" the small gray she-cat asked with interest, her eyes shining.

Lionstar flicked his tail towards a small clearing, "I think he's over there talking with Willowshine".

"Can I go please?" Emberkit begged to Thornclaw, looking more eager than ever.

Thornclaw sighed, "I guess so. But don't bug him this time, remember last time when he snapped at you?" the golden-brown tom looked wary to send his daughter to the moody Medicine Cat.

Emberkit snorted, "That was only because I accidently spilled the mouse-dung all over his tail. He really isn't that bad once you get to know him."

Coming from a four-moon old kit, that didn't mean much. But Lionstar knew she was telling the truth, Jayfeather was a prickly Medicine Cat, but he had a nice side.

"I hear your putting a patrol together" Hollyleaf meowed, approaching her brother.

Lionstar nodded, "Do you and Coalpaw want to come? I still need more cats If we're going to find any clues about Ravenpaw or Barley."

Hollyleaf nodded, "Sure, I barely spend anytime with Coalpaw, he should enjoy it."

"Could you get Bumblestripe and Millie as well?" he asked his black furred sister, "We could use Millie's experience in Twolegplace, she might know her way around.

His sister nodded, "I'll go get them now, be back soon." And with that, Hollyleaf's black tail disappeared behind a bramble bush.

Lionstar sighed, this was going to be a long journey through Twolegplace.

White fences lay in a row alongside the Twoleg Homes, creating a somewhat closed in feel. Lionstar's tail ran alongside a fence, as he stayed close to the barrier, and away from the busy Thunderpath.

At least bushes kept them out of the monster's sight, that way they felt somewhat protected.

"There are a bunch of cats living up here" Millie meowed, "I used to live here as a kitten, my twoleg's were so nice."

A snort came from Coalpaw, and another hiss followed coming from Hollyleaf. Apparently Coalpaw forgot that his mother was a barn cat, or maybe he just didn't care. Bumblestripe walked warily next to Lionstar, looking over his shoulder every few seconds.

"What's wrong with you?" Hollyleaf snorted, "You look like you saw a spirit of StarClan!".

The striped gray tom shuddered, "I don't like being so many Twoleg's! What if they catch us and make us Kittypets?".

Millie turned to face her son, "First of all we wont get caught, second of all even if we did. You only have to be nice to them, then escape when they aren't looking."

Lionstar exchanged a glance with Thornclaw, he didn't exactly like the thought of being a Kittypet.

"Hey I see a cat up there!" Coalpaw exclaimed, running forward onto a patch of green grass.

Lionstar moved past the warriors and followed closely behind the apprentice, he was a little to eager. A few cats were gathered underneath a tree, a small Twoleg stable held a few cats as well. He moved past Coalpaw, and approached a large brown tabby she-cat.

"Excuse me?" he meowed, trying not to surprise her.

The cat turned with suspicious green eyes, "What do you want mongrel?" she spat with anger.

Lionstar exchanged a glance with Millie, and turned back. "Sorry to disturb you, but we are looking for a few old friends of ours, maybe you know them."

The she-cat looked at the clan cats for a long moment, "I know a lot of cats round these parts, what are their names?".

Thornclaw moved forward, "Their names are Ravenpaw and Barley" he was the only one in the patrol, old enough to remember them. The she-cat pondered the names for a moment than shook her head,

"Can't say I have, but I can get someone who might know them."

Lionstar and the others dipped their heads in thanks, as the large she-cat moved towards a small enclosure.

"Purdy!" she yowled, "There's some cats here lookin for their friends, come and help."

Purdy!? Lionstar perked his ears, he had no idea the old tabby lived so far off from where he did before.

"Did she just say Purdy?" Hollyleaf meowed with excitement.

He nodded, as the familiar face of the plump tabby loner stepped out of his den. Purdy looked as if he lost some of his fat though, and he looked much older.

"My eyes must be trickin' me" he meowed out of surprise, "If it ain't Hollypaw and Lionpaw, welcome young uns'!".

Lionstar dipped his head and greeted the old tom by touching noses, "Nice to see you to Purdy. We're Lionstar and Hollyleaf now."

Purdy twitched his silver muzzle, "What a surprise, but hey wait a minute. Don't Star mean your a leader now? What about that there cat Firestar, what bout him?".

A sigh came from Hollyleaf, "He died Purdy, defending us from wolves while we were crossing the mountains. Lionstar's our leader now."

Purdy's eyes gleamed with sadness and he shook his head. "Its a mighty shame" he meowed, "There ain't that many cats around like him anymore, all these young uns' now a days have to much attitude."

Lionstar couldn't help but smile, same old Purdy. They stayed there talking with the old loner for awhile, before he finally asked about Ravenpaw and Barley.

"Have you seen them anywhere?" maybe Purdy had spotted the two cats after their barn burnt down, he seemed to have a good sense of where everything was.

Purdy rose his head at the names, "Two loners from the barn? Yup I seen them round here about two moons back. They said somethin' bout traveling across some desert" Purdy paused with a chuckle, "I thought they were crazy, ain't no cat gonna survive through there."

Ravenpaw and Barley went through the desert!?

"They might be going the same place we are!" he meowed to Hollyleaf and the others, "Maybe their already there!"

This could be great, or bad. Could two cats really survive a journey through the desert on their own?

"What're you talkin' about?" Purdy asked stepping forward, "You're not thinkin' about going through that desert are you?".

Lionstar nodded, "We have to, we got a message from StarClan that our home is on the other side. Our home by the lake burnt down." Sure it was kind of crazy going through an unknown desert, but the clans had no other choice!

"I'm mighty sorry bout' that" Purdy meowed with care, "Times have been tough for everyone, them Upwalkers are killing all the prey around here!".

"That's to bad" Lionstar meowed, as an idea popped into his head. Couldn't Purdy come with them? He would be much safer and well fed in a group of cats, rather than on his own. "Come with us Purdy" he meowed happily, "You won't go hungry with the clans."

The tabby tom looked taken aback by Lionstar's offer, and gave his chest a lick. "Oh I don't know" he meowed, "Crossin a desert at my age isn't that easy, I'll probably just slow you young uns' down."

Hollyleaf glanced at Lionstar, and moved forward. "You won't Purdy. We have plenty of elders traveling with us, plus you'll be able to teach all of us a thing or to about twole... I mean Upwalkers."

Lionstar nodded in agreement, his sister had a good point. Purdy stared at Hollyleaf, as if he were pondering their offer. Lionstar hoped the loner would come with them, he seemed so lonely!

Finally the plump tom lifted his gaze, "Well I guess I could teach you cats a thing or to, I'd be much obliged to come."

"Great!" Lionstar exclaimed, as the other cats moved to greet Purdy.

At least he was coming with them, Lionstar would much prefer that then having Purdy be here alone. At least the other elders will have someone else to help them complain about young cats these days, Lionstar chuckled inside.

Though this journey would be a long one, at least he had friends and family to help him. But would that be enough?

So did you like it? I love Purdy! Remember, 30 reviews! Update whenever that happens.