Crowfeather padded over to the fresh kill pile. His mind was still running over the Leafpool problem. He couldn't shake the feeling she had something really important to say to him. As he picked up a mouse and a thrush for Nightcloud he recalled what she had said... "Yes there is Crowfeather. There is so much to talk about" . He remembered the way she had looked when she had found out that Nightcloud was having his kits. Every night, in his dreams he could see her eyes. Two pools of amber, blazing with disbelief and hurt.

He slipped into the nursery and dropped the fresh kill at Nightcloud's paws. She looked up at him and seemed to guess what he was thinking.

"Don't think about that thing too much. Put her out of your mind" She meowed.

For once Crowfeather was glad there was no one else in the nursery. If anyone else had heard her comment he would be pushed back down the ranks in the clan. "How can I? She had something to say to me! What if she was ill? What if her clan were threatining her?"

"Thunderclan? Being anywhere near strict? I doubt it. And if she was ill would she be allowed out of camp? Just remember the pain she caused you. You mean nothing to her. She chose her clan so forget her. She is nothing!" Nightcloud snarled

"Don't be so anti-Thunderclan. Without them, we might not be here. And Leafpool isn't a nothing. She's-"

Crowfeather was cut short by a white paw, claws extended smashing into his face. Fresh blood stung his tongue, salty and warm. A blinding pain shot up his face from where claws met flesh. "You're with me now!" Nightcloud's voice was curldled with menace. She shook her paw and red droplets spun off in all directions, leaving only a small red stain on her claws.

"What did you do that for!?" Crowfeather yowled stalking up to her. He couldn't control himself, his whole body was shaking with anger. He longed to swipe at her, retalliate. But he couldn't. He couldn't find the nerve to do it. Instead he flung around angrily. Mud and dust flew up from under his paws as he swept out of the nursery. He scrambled out of the camp, crunching his way along a gravely path. He hardley knew where he was going. His paws flew along. All he was aware of was the sting on his cheek and the salty tang of blood in the air.

He came to the small stretch of woodland near the Thunderclan border. He ran through the trees fast as he could. He hit the trunk of a tree, dazed he stood for a moment, then flung himself at the tree. He beat his paws as hard as he could on the bark, claws extented. He was bleakly aware of blood seeping under his claws, oozing from his sore pads. He took all of his anger out on the tree, one of his claws tore right off and he yowled in fury. What was he doing? Why was he so angry? He hated Nightcloud now. She was manipulative and evil. he staggered light headedly away from the tree and bleakly walked home. Aching and sore he limped onwards. But he didn't want to go home. He didn't want the questions of why he was so battered. He padded past the camp. Where could he sleep?

It seemed he walked onwards for ages, never stopping, never wavering. He adventually came to Smoky's barn. He slipped under the fence and peered nevously around the door of the barn. A small shape was pacing back and forth, tail flickering nevously.

"Smoky?" he called quietly.

"Floss? Is that you?" Smoky's voice was cracked with lack of sleep and his eyes shone weakly in the dim light of the barn.

"No. No it's not. I am Crowfeather of Windclan, I need a place to sleep. Please may I rest here for the night?" Crowfeather replied.

"Crowfeather... The disloyal one who ran away?" Smoky inquired

"I am not disloyal- How do you know that I ran away?" Crowfeather asked

Smoky seemed to recoile for a moment like he had said. "Oh you know. News travels fast around such a small place." He tried to sound casual but Crowfeather could tell he was trying to hide something. But he didn't push the point.

"Can I please stay here for a night. Please?" Crowfeather din't know what he would do if Smoky turned him away.

"Of course you may. I don't own he barn the Nofur's do" Crowfeather guessed by 'Nofur' Smoky meant Twolegs.

"Thank you Smoky" Crowfeather turned and settled into a small dip in the straw, far enough away for him not to get in the way of Smoky but not so far he seemed uneasy. He was just about to drift into an exausted slumber, when Smoky's delighted yowl rung through the air and Floss' scent reached his nostrils. He couldn't help over-hearing their conversations.

"Floss! You've been gone all day! I was worried!" Smoky cried, nuzzling Floss' muzzle.

Floss pulled away and meowed "More like you were worring about your kits! I don't see why, you've got that other she-cats kits!" Floss' tail swept angrily and her ears flicked irritably.

"I was worring about you. And don't mention her, it's against the Warrior code for her to be seeing me, plus she has a 'mate' in her clan." He lowered his voice and whispered something that was barely audible. "One of her clan mates is here, and he shouldn't know what she has done"