Every cat stared. No one dared breathe. Magpiestar had a look of pure hatred and anger on her face.

"Sit. Down." She said through clenched teeth.

Bloodpaw obeyed.

"We also must announce that Herbflower is ill, but she is recovering quickly. Prey has been running well."

No cat acknowledged her words. Their attention was focused on Bloodpaw. Rookkpaw looked as if she would burst. Bloodpaw had stolen her moment.

"This gathering is dismissed." Wavestar said.

"Run, Bloodpaw. Get to camp as fast as you can." Flightfeather whispered.

Bloodpaw nodded slowly and scampered as fast as she could manage with her sore ribcage. Swallowpaw guided her to the entrance of the cave.

"Quickly Bloodpaw!" he said, "run!"

Bloodpaw ran as fast as she could manage. He pain stabbed her like a thorn in her nest. Wisp was ahead of her with Monster.

"Bloodpaw, what's going on?"

"No time to explain."

"Bloodpaw? Is someone chasing you?"

He got his answer soon enough. Magpiestar came charging through the forest of the neutral territory. And she was gaining. Rainysky was behind her.

"Bloodpaw, stop this instant!" Magpiestar growled.

Bloodpaw stopped, but rather from exhaustation rather than from oeying her leader.

"Magpiestar, be gentle." Rainysky whispered.

"Bloodpaw, well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"You didn't announce me, and it's not fair that you didn't."

"Maybe I would've given you a separate announcement."

"But you wouldn't have. You hate me and I've never won anything wrong!"

Magpistar growled. "As punishment, you will only be allowed to leave camp in the company of another cat. And this cat, when not Weaverwing, shall either be Rookpaw or me."

She hung her head, deciding not to argue further. "Okay, Magpiestar."

"Good. Now go back to camp. Right now."

Bloodpaw did so, but hissed under her breath.

"You did what?" Chirppaw laughed. "I can't believe you did that, I've been wanting to that for the past three moons!"

Bloodpaw smiled. It was like she and Chirppaw had been friends for ever. If only she were laughing with her and not at her, and had said it in her non sarcastic tone.

"It's not funny. She really was mean not to."

"I suppose you've got something there but really, that's low."

"No it isn't! I was simply standing up for myself!"

"Yeah it was! You embarrassed your leader, your clan and yourself!"

"I did it for a good reason."

"Hah! If a good reason is getting attention, then I'm a mouse!"

"Mouse!"

"Attention-seeker!"

"mouse!"

"Attention-seeker!"

"Could you two give it a rest? You've been arguing since we moved into this den. And you're lucky Rookpaw isn't here or she'll kill you both." Crypaw growled.

Chirppaw just turned over and went back to sleep.

"Bloodpaw, come on." Weaverwing called. "We've got climbing practice."

Bloodpaw sighed and followed Weaverwing but avoided his eyes. She knew that he was a little disappointed in her.

"Here we are. Climb the big one with the small leaves."

Bloodpaw tensed her muscles and sprang onto the trunk, digging her claws into its soft, mossy bark. She hauled herself up with ease.

"Well done. Now come down."

She did so just as easily.

"Oh, Bloodpaw. You're such a clever cat but sometimes you just have to control yourself."

"But it's never my fault."

"And you must take responsibility for your actions."

"I'm telling you that it's never my fault because it isn't!"

"Don't ever talk to me like that. You should have more respect for me and the older cats."

Bloodpaw felt the rage build up inside her. Even Weaverwing was angry with her!

"Well, maybe if any cat respected me, just a little bit, I wouldn't have such problems!"

He stopped for a moment. Then he sat down and drew his paw over her head and cuffed her. She didn't squeal or show that it hurt. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Maybe it was spiteful but she just couldn't do it any other way.

He let go and she felt blood dripping from her ear.

"Alright, sorry Bloodpaw. I have a lot on my mind and it's stressing me out a little."

"I-it's fine."

"Thank you. Now let's get up that tree together so I can teach you how we move through the trees. Ever wondered why you never smell LeafClan cats around the territory? That's because we spend most of our time hunting in the trees. I'll show you the main routes we take."

They climbed the tree together and he pointed with his tail.

"That route goes towards the StreamClan border. The one that you're facing is a hunting route that leads straight back to camp. The other side is a gap between the trees that we can't cross because we'd fall. I think we should go the Tall Tree so you can see everything."

Bloodpaw followed Weaverwing. She noticed that the cats had certain paths up here from the claw marks embedded into the bark.

"There it is. We climb it all the way to the top."

Bloodpaw did so.

"right. Can you see it?"

She nodded. It was so beautiful. She could see the mountains of StoneClan, the rivers of StreamClan, the tight forest tops of NightClan and her own forest.

"That bit over there is where the humans live. The camp is that shade of pale green where that gap between the trees is. The route that we saw earlier is that strip over there," he pointed with his tail the whole time, " that one route is called the Home Path, the circle of dark trees over there is called the Dark Trail. We never hunt there. Then there's the leaf-bare trail over there, the StreamClan Trail and the StoneClan Trail that leads to the gorge.

"The edge of our territory is the two-leg place. If you're ever lost climb a tree and come here so you can find your way again. Or go to the area of large trees over there, that's where you were when you were hurt. You will also notice that there is no NightClan Trail. We only share a few foxlenghts of border so we send one warrior there a day to check it. They do the same.

"Any other hunting routes are found there and there. Got it?"

"Umm…sort of."

"Don't worry you will eventually. Let's go back to camp now."

Bloodpaw smiled and followed him. She had never realized how big her territory was from the ground. All that land was hers. All of it but that dark area. Every cat, even she knew that no cat entered it. On the way back she wound herself around every branch, leaving her scent and some fur behind. She knew she had to protect the territory. And she was proud of it.

I'm sorry it was a bit confusing with the territory and all. So I 'drew' it for you. 'I' is border, O is camp and X is dark area. The big tree is Z. NightClan and StoneClan and are not completed! It's just to show borer around TreeClan.

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I I MOUNTAINCLAN

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I O I STREAMCLAN IIIIIIIIIIIIII

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