Chapter 9

"It's not that I don't like you as a friend, but… we can't let distractions get to us." Graytail meowed and looked up at the starlit sky. They had recovered from the short trip in the beginning. They were ready to start moving again tomorrow.

She heard the faint soft snoring of Wolfear, and the small breaths of Bunnypaw.

"But what could stop us?!" Carvy growled,

"Moonclan sent us here! We should be completing our mission, not socializing!"

"YOU IDIOT." Bunnypaw shouted in her sleep.

Carvy swirled around and looked at the two sleeping cats, he tilted his head in confusion, then shook his head,

"I… I thought we'd be working together…" he growled again, and closed his eyes in frustration.

"I'm not saying we're not! We just… have to focus on the mission."

And with that, the two cats stayed quiet, until Graytail went to go lay a little farther away from him, and went to sleep at Bunnypaw's and Aruq's sides.

Carvy laid down and curled up next to his apprentice.

With both hearts beating on each of her sides, Graytail was asleep.

"We are almost there, few steps to go," Aruq woofed as the cats walked to the rocky mountain. But Aruq stopped as they reached the mountains.

"Are you coming or what?" Carvy snarled

"Aruq must leave you. Brother not happy if scent me."

Aruq walked off on his own, Graytail, Wolfear, Foxpaw, and Carvy meowed farewell, and didn't follow. They were almost ready when they heard a cat yowling.

"Bunnypaw!" Wolfear's eyes widened as he ran the direction Aruq had gone.

Chapter 10

The woofing of dogs came louder ahead, Aruq was now sprinting away. Wolfear had come back with Bunnypaw in his jaws. They got as far away from the dogs as possible, but could still hear their savage growls and barks.

"Hey! You! Over here!" Graytail heard a familiar voice, like she's heard it before, but couldn't guess who it was.

Graytail signaled them to follow her into the thorn bush where she'd heard the voice.

"Tigerpaw? Why would you want to help us?" Wolfear looked straight at the tiger patterned she-cat's emerald eyes, his close- to- black pupils blazing.

"It's Tigerstripe, and I helped because Earthfoot wasn't really that nice to you. I've recently received a prophecy from Moonclan, they told me to travel here. So I'm coming with you, either you like it or not."

Tigerstripe unsheathed her long, thick, claws into the grass. Carvy flinched a little at Graytail's side.

"Okay, fine. You can come, but we're still a little far away from our destination, so listen to what either of us say, even the apprentices. Got that?"

Graytail's gaze was gentle to the ginger tabby she-cat, but her voice was strict.

"Fine." she meowed back and sheathed her claws. Graytail gave a long sigh as they all introduced themselves gently to Tigerstripe.

"I'm Graytail. I was sent on a prophecy with that stupid furball over there," she meowed as she flicked her ear in Carvy's direction. Tigerstripe gave a loud mrrraow of amusement, loud enough for the others to hear. They whipped their heads rapidly at Tigerstripe.

Tigerstripe shrank back down, becoming barely half of her big size.

"S-sorry." She stammered, as Graytail rested her tail on the new warrior's shoulder.

Tigerstripe soon got up, and shook herself,

"When are we leaving?" She turned her head to Wolfear, who was bigger than her. Graytail guessed Tigerstripe must think he's the leader of the group, since he's even bigger than the tiger-like warrior.

"We'll leave as soon as we get something to eat." Graytail replied, after she saw Wolfear giving her a "I don't know, you tell her!" look.

Tigerstripe whipped her head in embarrassment to Graytail, then dipped her head,

"R- right, sorry."

Graytail felt pity for the newly made warrior, she must have lived a strict life in her clan.

"Okay, we'll have Wolfear go with Carvy and Foxpaw with- wait, where's Bunnypaw?!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE!" she hissed from inside of a hollow of a tree. "And I'm kinda scared..."

Graytail shook her head in amusement,

"Okay, then. Tigerstripe and I will go the other way." Graytail rested her fluffy tail on Tigerstripe's shoulder.

"Should I get her down?" Wolfear asked.

"Go ahead." Graytail teased.

They soon parted ways and went hunting.

"We should search in does bushes. We'd have a good chance of finding a nice juicy rabbit!" Tigerstripe meowed low, as the two she-cat's stalked through the forest.

Suddenly, Tigerstripe yowled in pain, Graytail turned around, but in that instant she got a slash to the eye.

"Don't you dare cross that fence!" a deep, rasping mew rang into the clearing.

The cat looked plump and strong, but he was against two trained warriors. The tom had white fur, with black smudges on him, his bright emerald eyes pierced through them. He was bigger than her, even Tigerstripe flinched a little.

"We weren't planning to, you peice of fox-dung!" Tigerstripe hissed. There was a sound coming from in the bushes.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding!" The bran cat hissed as Bunnypaw, once again, tumbled out of the bushes. Loyal Foxpaw always at her side.

"What the- hey!" Bunnypaw was choked by Graytail's tail, stopping her retort.

"Why are you here? Tell me!" the tom glared hard at the four she-cats.

"We don't need to explain to the likes of you!" Tigerstripe bunched herself, ready to spring at the stupid piece of flesh and fur, but Graytail stopped her with a snarl.

"Who are you?" Graytail growled to the plump cat.

"If I tell you, will you leave?" the barn cat sat down, flashing a glance at Tigerstripe, anger flashed in the barn cat's emerald eyes, Tigerstripe returned the gesture, and unsheathed her long, sharp claws, growling deep in her throat.

"Well, I'm Renegade. Now will you leave?" Renegade shuffled his paws impatiently.

"But we haven't introduced ourselves!" Bunnypaw answered.

"I'm Bunnypaw, this is Foxpaw, that's Graytail, and over there is Tigerstripe."

"She as furious as one." Renegade snarled as he shot a sharp look at the tiger-like she-cat.

Tigerstripe looked like she wanted to claw the fur out of the fat tom. She cursed under her breath.

"What in the name of Moonclan are you doing here?!" Wolfear stalked out of the bushes, Carvy at his side. Wolfear unsheathed his claws as soon as he saw Renegade. Tigerstripe sneered as Wolfear jumped in front of Bunnypaw to protect her, his snarling face was frightening.

"Hey, it's not like I'm an angry badger!" Renegade meowed, clearly offended.

"Who are you?" Carvy demanded as he padded to Graytail's side. Foxpaw loyally followed her mentor.

I don't need your help, you stupid furball!

"I'm Renegade. Why don't you ask her who I am?" Renegade pointed his snout to Bunnypaw, she was hiding behind one of Wolfear's huge paws. Wolfear sheathed his claws.

"I don't want any trouble now." Renegade looked up at the clan cats,

"Well, at least she'll still rip my fur off if I even touch her."

Tigerstripe grinned and dug her claws into the ground in temptation.

"Let's go." Graytail said, as she pulled away from Carvy.

"Wait," Renegade gave them pleading eyes,

"Can I come too?"