A/N Happy Easter peoples!

Okay, normal news: I posted a new story, "She Speaks of Murder." Please go check that out. Nothing else to report...

Rahna- Thanks :)

Krackengirl- Don't I always?

Silent Memento- Ahh, yes. Makes the reasons to escape even more obvious. I'm happy the point got across :)

Tiger-Tabby-Demon: Thanks :)

Queen Annie-Ferny McCullen: Thanks for find the errors. It helps a lot :) And yes, there is a bit of a triangle isnt there? All part of my ingenius master plan. MWAHAHAHA.

CrazyFlamie-Atom: Could you please PM me with the idea? I never recieved your PM and I need to know.

FrostedAppleSnow- Thanks.

Shandril Weilder of Spellfire: Thanks much!

TawnyLeaf: Yes, they're cute, arent they?

Black-Wolf-Warrior: Thanks!

With that said, please read and review!


Chapter 6
"Sunrise and Departion"

I had no time to react to the blow that was over me. I thrust myself up, claws flailing, and run over to Fade. I have managed to hit Root across the face, and he's on the floor.

Move! Goldensky hisses urgently.

"I can't!" I wail.

"Cherryblossom?" Fade whispers. My heart is throbbing. It hurts so much to see her like this!

"Yes, yes! What is it?" I reply urgently.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Don't leave me!" I bury my face into her fur.

"Don't leave me. I heard that voice, it said to run! Run!" Her strength is ebbing.

"I love you!"

"Then leave!"

I stare down at her in disbelief. I start to leave, and look back. Fade is looking back at me with such hope in her eyes, I can't help but wince. Relectantly, I try to run, but feel my tail become snagged on claws from behind. Yowling, I still take off, and begin to run.

I don't see Barrelkit, but I feel Goldensky running besides me, her star-glazed fur brushing against mine.

The scenery is a blur, but I'm making my way out of camp. I hear Tornclaw and the others yelling at me to get my tail back to camp, but I can't retailiate. I have to run, and I have to run now.

And I do. I finally break out of the shrubs of camp. I can see the glistening of Water Shimmer close. The approaching dawnlight is peering over the horizon. The sun is a cheerful sight, but I only want to leave this place behind. Almost there...

I'm growing weary, and I don't know when I finally manage to hit water. I crash into it, feeling it soak my fur. I submerge myself, and open my eyes.

For the first time, I feel alive.

What scares my wits out of me is the crash of water behind me next. Looking, I see Barrelkit's small form, swimming towards me. She seems to be a natural swimmer, and drags me above surface.

"You crazy, idiotic kit! You can't commit suicide! Not when we're at the beginning of the journey!" Barrelkit says, like an over-worried mother who had recently lost her kit.

"I wasn't commiting suicide! I was enjoying my freedom!" I snap back. Barrelkit winces, and pulls out of the water. There's a small trail of blood leading out of a gash oh her tail, but I swim after her and reach bank. We pull our bodies out of the crystal water, and begin to groom the cold water out of our fur. The dew on the ground is making the grass cold, and I shiver.

"How did you cut yourself?" I ask.

"I didn't," she scoffs. "Wildflower was trying to keep me in the nursery, but my guardian smashed her face in."

"Does it hurt?"

"No! Why should it hurt! I mean, it's not like a grown cat just attacked me or anything."

"Your sarcasm annoys me."

"You annoy me!"

"You're so immature!"

"You're so immature!" she mimicks.

"Shut your mouth or I won't fix that wound!"

"You care too much to not help me."

I hate it when she's right. Glaring at her, I go over to a tree that's been growing on our territory for as long as I can remember. Getting a grasp on the slippery bark, I haul myself upwards, limb by limb. My weight is dragging me down, but I manage to hook a spiderweb in my claws before tumbling. Hitting the ground hard, I let out a sigh before rolling over and getting up. My back hurts, but I walk over to Barrelkit and begin to patch her wound. The skin has been split open, and blood was ozing gently out. I lick the blood away first, and then begin to wrap the cut skillfully. I'm used to this kind of wound. If the Clan isn't fighting claw-to-claw, a foolish cat is usually injuring himself to get out of hunting. They act like kits sometimes, I swear.

Well, that didn't matter now. We were together, and I wasn't lonely. Goldensky had disappeared when Barrelkit had appeared, and I was cleaning Barrelkit's wound.

"What was your guardian's name?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"Wolfecho," she replies drowsily.

"What's a wolf?" I ask.

"He said we would find them on our journey. He wouldn't tell me anything else."

"I see."

More silence.

When the wound is clean, I look to the sun.

"We should get going," I say. "This is the first place they'll look. There's no looking back now."

"Who says I want to look back?" Barrelkit snaps, her fur bristling slightly. Most of the water is out now, excluding the dew that had worked its way into the soft fiber.

"You ready?" I ask, swallowing.

"As I'll ever be," she replies, eyes sparkling. She took a tentious step forward, as if making sure the ground was stable.

The first step that was taking us away from our families and friends.

The first step out of hell.

The first step into life.

The first step into freedom.


A/N Well, seeing as none of you liked the Tornclaw plushies, you all get sparkly Barrelkit plushies!

Please review!