Chapter 8.

Twilight

Twilight's jaw opened and closed. He didn't know what to say. Who was this cat? How did he know who Twilight was? From his time with Crystal, he had spent the whole time speaking fox.

"You must be confused. I'm sorry." The cat dipped his head in a very warrior-like style. "My name is Rich. I am a former kittypet now loner."

"Kittypet?" repeated Twilight. The fox sat down on the grass. He was really confused. Who was this cat? Why did he act like a warrior even though he wasn't one.

"You still must be confused," said Rich. "You see, a couple moons ago, a group of cats came and saved me. Well, a she-cat did. Cinderstream was her name."

"Cinderstream!?" Twilight jumped to his paws in shock. A mental image of the cinder colored she-cat entered his mind. The cat who became his friend and told him what he truly was.

"I can see I guessed right," Rich sat on his haunches again. "That's good. It's nice that I got to meet the fox that she spoke so highly of."

"Tell me more," said Twilight excitedly. He couldn't believe it! Cinderstream was alive! Maybe alive, but alive! "Where is she? Is she alright?" He paused. Wait. Rich mentioned other cats. "Who were the other cats?"

Rich blinked in surprise. "They called themselves specials."

"Specials…" Twilight trailed off. That word. It tickled something in the back of his mind. He had heard the term before. He couldn't figure out where though. Hearing a sound, he glanced up to see Rich falling over. With a quick yelp he was by the old tom's side, holding him up.

"Thank you," rasped the tom. Only then did Twilight feel the bones of the tom. He glanced down and realized with a jolt how scrawny he was. He was even scrawnier than a Nightclan cat in leaf-bare. How could he have been so blind? He knew that taking care of elders was one of the duties of a clan cat. He carefully helped Rich sit down before stepping away. The tom stared at him in confusion.

"I'll be right back," said Twilight, "I'm going to go get some fresh-kill. Then I would like to know about…the specials." Before Rich could protest, Twilight turned tail and disappeared into the undergrowth.

He knew going back in the way of the sludge-filled lake was a no-no. There was no food there. Plus even if there was, there was probably nothing that would fill an old starving cat like Rich. He sniffed the air with his sensitive nose and scented a thunderpath nearby. Knowing that was his best bet, he headed in that direction. He realized it was the same direction the dogs had ran off to. The closer he got to the nest the more twolegged scents he smelled. Breaking out of the tree line he saw he was at the tip of a twolegged town.

Twilight barked happily at the sight. He could definitely find food there. Maybe hunt in a trash can or something. He was about to walk in when he suddenly remembered something and pulled back. It was daylight. From what Crystal told him, twoleggeds found it weird to see foxes in the daytime. "Foxdung," he spat, turning back to the forest. He guessed he would have to hunt the old fashion way.

Twilight noticed the current area of forest he was in smelled better than the area near the sludge lake. He guessed it had something to do with being a bit away from it.

"Hey!"

Twilight turned to the voice and his neck fur stood on end. A tom-fox stepped out of the undergrowth, his golden eyes flashing with anger.

Twilight growled angrily. He had no time to be dealing with other foxes! A scent entered his nose and he noticed a plump rabbit right behind the fox. What luck! Although he didn't like it, stealing was the best he could do for now.

"This is my territory. Can't you smell the scent markings?" snapped the fox.

Twilight shook his head. He did not. It was probably because he was too focused on the twolegged smell plus he didn't pay attention to fox scent boundary markings anymore. He was a clan cat. Fox things did not matter to him.

"Sorry," said Twilight, "I'll be going. I was just passing through. You seemed to have caught a juicy rabbit there."

The fox's ear flicked in annoyance. "What are you talking about? Yes. I caught a rabbit. Now go."

Twilight shook his head, "I'm sorry but I need that rabbit. I need to speak with somecat and I would be nice but I don't have time for that." Like with the dogs, Twilight fell into his cat side. His lips pulled back in a snarl.

The fox did the same, his fur rising on end. Twilight didn't wait for him to attack. Instead he charged at the fox, slamming his paw against the fox's muzzle, wishing that he had the claws of a warrior cat like he did many times in the past. The fox snarled and clamped his jaw around Twilight's leg. Twilight yelped and batted the fox with his other front paw while his paw clamped around the fox's shoulder. The fox yelped in shock and let go of Twilight's paw.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, Twilight brought his paw down on the fox's head. He let go at the same time and the fox tumbled to the ground. Twilight scrambled onto the fox's back, pinning him down. "Now do you understand how serious I am?" he snarled.

The fox nodded and Twilight scrambled off him. The fox jumped to his paws and growled angrily at Twilight before disappearing into the undergrowth.

Twilight sighed in relief. His paw throbbed but he ignored it. He picked up the rabbit and hurried back. Rich was in the same place Twilight had left him. The tom glanced up in surprise as Twilight put the rabbit in front of him. He hoped Rich would think the fox scent on it was his.

Rich stared at the rabbit in shock. "Is this for me?" A quick nod from Twilight confirmed it and the cat got to work. Twilight sat in front of him, watching Rich devour through the rabbit like it was nothing. He struggled to not let his tail flick impatiently behind him.

After Rich had eaten most of the rabbit, the tom looked up in happiness. "Thank you."

Twilight shook his head. "It's alright. Now, about…"

Rich nodded. "Yes. A couple moons ago, Cinderstream as well as the specials of the clan were passing through here. They said they were running away to protect the clans."

"Specials?" That was the second time Rich used that word. What did it mean?

Rich suddenly seemed to understand what was wrong. "You don't have your memories do you?"

"My memories?" Twilight tilted his head to the side.

Rich looked away. "That means…you don't know about how Cinderstream saved me."

"What are you talking about?"

Rich glanced up at Twilight. "You may not believe me but I was dying of injuries and she healed my wounds with her power. Twilight. The clans are not what you think they are. I don't know why you are out here but Cinderstream did tell me to tell you everything if you were ever to come my way."

Twilight didn't know what to say. What could he say? He still couldn't get over the fact that Rich had told him that Cinderstream had healed his injuries. How was that possible?

Rich closed his eyes and opened them again. "Just listen. Listen through to the end." Before Twilight could protest, Rich launched into it. He explained what the specials were, what power each of them had. Their names. Why they left. The Great Battle against other animals. The fight that took place within Starclan and finally their leaving. When Rich was done, the sun was beginning to set, casting the cat and fox within the long shadows of the trees.

Twilight didn't know what to say. It all didn't sound true. It sounded like a crazy event that Rich had strung together. However Twilight had a feeling it wasn't. Rich had described the Great Battle in such detail and Twilight knew exactly where the spot the battle had taken place.

"I see you believe me. Good." Rich placed his head on his paws. "I'm happy I got to have a nice chat and get it all off my chest. And I am glad to have met you as well Twilight. Now I know what she meant when she talked about you."

Twilight didn't say anything. He just sat there. A nagging thought was in his head. From what Rich told him the specials had left moons ago and memories not involving the specials were not removed. No other cats had left so…did that mean Flameclaw was actually looking for the specials? Were they the ones Flameclaw wanted to warn? "Which way are the specials? Did they tell you?"

"They headed through the twolegged nests beyond this forest," replied Rich, his voice growing faint, "They…they said they knew where they were going. They would continue straight until they got to the place where they wanted to go."

Twilight nodded and got to his paws. He had to get through the twolegged place tonight while he could hide in the shadows. "Thanks Rich. I owe you one." When Rich did not reply, Twilight leaned forward and prodded the tom with his paw. Rich's body was still.

Realizing with a jolt, Twilight dropped his head and looked up at the twinkling stars that were starting to appear above. "Starclan. Please guide this old tom. He has helped saved the clans and I hope he can join your ranks." Twilight felt bad for not sitting a vigil but he knew he needed to get going. However that did not mean he would leave Rich's body behind.

The fox began digging a hole, his paw aching in pain but he suppressed it. Somehow he had the feeling Rich was waiting for him, waiting to give him the information before moving on. He would not leave Rich for the birds and dogs to feed on.

Once the hole was big enough he carefully dragged the tom over and put him in the hole and quickly covered him up with dirt. Twilight wondered how he would stand doing this when he became an elder. Burying his clanmates. When the dirt was all gone, Twilight dipped his head again. "Thank you Rich. I will never forget you." He turned away from the grave and headed for the town. He knew Flightwing would get Flameclaw there. He would get there on his own and meet them there. Then…he would see her again. Cinderstream.