Okay, next chapter!
Elite369: Fernbird is Duskflame's mother. I had that in the last chapter, you must have missed it. And sorry, it's too late to change Russettail to their sibling, we're halfway through the story, and shes already got a part in the plot. If I changed it, it'd mess everything up.
"Zap." Duskflame hissed to him, and the tom raised his head from his paws.
"What now?" The black and white tom meowed.
"I need you to do me a favor." Duskflame meowed to him. He had found Zap taking a nap in the sun in the meadow, and Wing and Feather were sharing tongues nearby. It was a nice day outside. There was only a warm breeze, and the sun shone brightly overhead.
"I don't do favors." Zap meowed, getting up to a sitting position. "But what is it?" A gleam of interest entered his eyes.
"I need to go back down there." Duskflame flicked his tail to the Clan territory. "And I need some one to go with me."
Zap looked down the mountain and blinked. "What for?" he meowed, returning his gaze back to Duskflame.
"Theres something I've got to do." Duskflame meowed, not taking his eyes off the stream below. "And I might need some help." He looked back at Zap, blinking slightly, eyes pleading.
"Does Niyol know you're going?" he meowed, tipping his head, and Duskflame shook his head.
"We won't be gone long. I just need to check some things out." Duskflame responded, and Zap arose to his paws, shaking out the grass from his pelt.
"Alright, we better leave right away."
Duskflame let out a sigh of relief and nodded, slipping over the edge of the mountain top and digging his claws into the earth of the mountain.
"Wait!" Duskflame let out a huff and leaped back up to the top as Wing bounded over, followed by Feather.
"Where are you going?" Feather meowed as she stopped beside her sister, eyes flickering from Zap to Duskflame.
"Just to the territories." Zap meowed, turning to trot down the edge of the mountain, and Wing looked to Duskflame, who shrugged and turned to follow Zap.
"Can we come?" Wing meowed, bounding over the edge and digging her claws in to keep from slipping.
Duskflame and Zap exchanged a glanced before Duskflame sighed. "Fine, sure. But do what we say. This could be very dangerous." he meowed, and Wing jumped in excitement and trotted ahead to catch up to Zap.
Feather trotted past, patting Duskflame's head with her tail. "Good tom." she meowed jokingly, and he snickered slightly and trotted down the hill.
They walked in silence for a long while, reaching the rocky clearing and continueing on after a short rest. Wing looked to him quizically. "Are you gonna tell us where we're going yet?" she meowed, and Feather and Zap both looked over to him as they trotted down the sloping path.
"That stream down there is where this cat died, and I got exiled for killing her." Duskflame meowed, noticing Wing and Feather inch away from him in fright. "Don't worry, I was framed. I want to go down there and take a look around." he meowed, and all three nodded.
"Who was this cat who died?" Wing meowed, slowing to match his pace.
"Her name was Violetpaw." He felt a lump in his throat form, and he tried in vain to swallow it down.
Wing seemed to notice the sadness in his green eyes. "Oh." she meowed quietly, kicking at a rock and sending it tumbling down the mountain. "I'm sorry." she meowed quietly, laying her tail on his shoulder in the act of comfort.
They reached flat ground soon after and trotted into the trees, all the cats silent for a moment, then trying to make small talk. When they were halfway through the woods, they stopped to catch some prey and ate it quickly before continueing on. It was sunhigh when they broke out of the trees, and before him spread another field, and then the Clan border. They trotted through the field, and Duskflame had to bat weeds out of their way every once in a while.
Finally, Duskflame could smell the Clan border and he stopped, the other stopping with him. Feather wrinkled her nose. "That smell." she meowed, sneezing.
Duskflame rolled his eyes at her over dramatization, and they turned to trot along the border until they were beside the tree. Duskflame took in a deep breath to see if any border patrols were nearby before crossing over the border. "Keep all your senses alert for any other smell." he whispered.
"How can you smell anything over that forest smell?" Feather huffed, and Duskflame stopped, dipping his head and tail dragging in the dust when they reached the spot where Violetpaw had died.
The others seemed to notice it, for they all grew somber and didn't speak. Duskflame reminded himself what he was here for and scented the air again, trotting forward with eyes narrowed. Dust had said he had poisened her with death berries, and he glanced around.
There were no death berries in sight, and he knew there was none in DawnClan territory. He leaped easily over the steam into SunClan territory and did the same, scenting the air before glancing around. No death berry bushes here, either.
He had been too focused on looking for death berries he hadn't smelt the border patrol.
"Trespassers!" Came an angry hiss, and from the bushes on the SunClan territory erupted a patrol of four cats. A speckled she-cat, who Duskflame recognized as the SunClan deputy, Specklesong, was standing in the lead. Behind her was her apprentice, Riverpaw, a small silver she-cat, and Flamecloud and Mistclaw.
Zap, Feather, and Wing all leaped over the stream to stand at Duskflame's side, baring their teeth, but Duskflame shook his head at them. He dipped his head to Specklesong.
"We're sorry, we're just passing trough, we don't mean any harm." he apologized.
"Well, you are in SunClan territory, and you'll be lucky to leave without punishment." Specklesong hissed, the fur along her neck raising slighty.
"Lets show them how we deal with trespassers." Mistclaw hissed, and the tom crouched, teeth bared.
Duskflame suddenly turned and streaked away down the stream, the other Outcasts following after slight confusion, and he heard other paws pounding behind them. Finally, they streaked out of Clan territory.
"Riverpaw! Stop, that's not our territory." he heard Flamecloud hiss, and the apprentice crossed back over the border with a hiss.
Duskflame stopped, panting when they reached the field, and turned to see the border patrol trotting away into the thin forest of SunClan.
"Let's get back before they decide to make sure we leave." Wing panted, and Duskflame glanced at the mountain before back at SunClan territory.
"You guys go ahead, I'll be back soon." he meowed quickly, and they all looked at him in surprise.
"That patrol would have ripped us apart, Duskflame!" Zap meowed, eyes wide.
"Don't worry, I won't get in trouble." Duskflame meowed, and three exchanged glances before sighing and nodding.
"Okay, but if you aren't back by sunset we're all coming down for your body." Wing meowed, only half humorously.
Duskflame nodded and watched as they hesitantly retreated, and he turned to trot back toward the border.
There was one more thing he needed to do.
That last half was kinda rushed. My lap top is dieing, and America's Next Top Model is on, so sorry.
I also realized I haven't done any disclaimers so..
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything warriors. I only own the cats in this story.
Alright, review! Thanks