Littlescent stretched her hind legs as she slowly walked up the steps to the roof of the camp. Her eyes squinted at the bright sunlight that burst through the cloud and smoke patches. She cursed the bright light under her tongue, but she decided it best to eat something and stay awake until her assignment that moonhigh.

She found it hard to get much sleep, knowing the LeafClan warriors were not going to back down from their patrol of her own clan's territory. Getting to the Twoleg prayer-nest and back took the greater part of her time, and she looked forward to not having to do it again.

The whole trip could've been for nothing, she thought. I could've died if it was any other cat around that corner. The Stars gave me Horsepelt though; talk about luck.

Littlescent gripped the mouse tighter in her jaws as she bounded up the steps to the roof, the corner of the steps brightly laminated by sunlight. After rounding the corner, she hopped over the last step and into the warmth, squinting as a gust of wind blew past her face.

She looked around at the pile of thundersticks and small rocks, some propped up against the edge of the raised ledge.

I hate seeing those things from below. Always reminds me of what they can do… and I'm glad I've only seen them in practices and tests. Hopefully never on another

"Hey Littlesleep, wake up and eat that mouse!"

Littlescent quickly noticed the blue-grey medicine cat standing with Sharptooth. She hesitated, but slowly walked towards her superiors.

"How did it go last night?" Sharptooth asked. "I was asleep when you came back, and Longstar personally went to see Yellowstar before I woke up, so I haven't heard a thing about it."

"Yeah," Panzer added, "how did those dumb kittypets do without my wonderful wisdom and guidance to keep them out of the jaws of wildcats and safe from rat bites?"

Littlescent dropped the mouse at her feet.

"I spoke to a lot of them. Looks like they're pretty torn about if they want to leave or not. But I think I convinced them to my side… at least the ones that are afraid of sky-monsters or being abandoned by their fleeing owners."

"Ah, typical kittypets," the medicine cat said. "Always afraid of their surroundings. Just a matter of what they're more afraid of; wildcats, or sky-monsters. Struck by the lightning and fire those things drop, or clawed to death by leaf cats. If they were smart, they'd fear the thing they can't stand against instead."

"I thought you didn't want us to go get the pets?"

Panzer pointed towards her neck with her tail. "I can't hate them that much. I used to be one, you know. Seeing a bunch of cats die isn't fun, but we can't afford to take them in. And neither can those breeze cats."

Littlescent closer approached the pair as they stood on the ledge, relaxing to Panzer's softer words. The wind blew again in a quick gust forced her eyes shut before returning to a steady flow.

"It's windy today," Sharptooth whispered.

"Hey, blood-luster," Panzer responded. "If you're going to say something, say it loud enough for the rest of us."

Sharptooth's ears perked up towards the sound of a faint hum in the distance. A long, black shape appeared, over the river beyond the Lower Territories. The continuing smoke plumes there caused it to dip in and out of view.

"Do you have a plan to help the pets get out of there without passing wildcats?" the deputy asked.

Littlescent's eyes were fixed on the black shape moving swiftly in the distance.

"Yeah. I'll do what Yellowstar suggested, and move solely through our Lower Territories. I don't like it any more than Longstar, but I need more than just a few warriors to block off the rouges. Patrols say they're getting more aggressive with hunting. And they'd defiantly attack if it was just me guarding the pets; they'd give Longstar something to listen to, then."

"I still don't like this," Panzer said. "Of all the cats to help them, it had to be us. We're about to unleash more kittypets in our territory than our clan has cats. They'll starve. Get killed by wildcats. Or worse, we'll start starving because of them. Or the wildcats will wise up and just walk in and say 'that's it, we own this place'. Then we get a bunch of useless pets and no camp."

"He's just doing what he thinks is right," Sharptooth responded. "I don't agree with it, but I do think it's something Bonbon would do."

Panzer hissed. "There's no telling what she'd do now. She's dead. He thinks it goes back to her and the clan's formation, which it does, but that was still then and this is now. Without the Stars walking in my dreams I don't know what's going to come of this. Neither does Yellowthing. For all we know, we could be further fulfilling Mousecat's old prophecy of destroying our clans!"

Littlescent looked away from the humming sky monster in the distance and back at the ranting medicine cat.

"You really think this could destroy the clan?"

Panzer scoffed. "From their point of view, we have the nerve to move near their borders, especially while food on their side is scare. Her prophecy did say our existence would be everyone's undoing, or something like that. And she got that prophecy before they ever moved out of the forest, before Bonbon was even born! Who do you think they're going to trust?"

Littlescent thought of Horsepelt, and how he told her he was forced to eat to keep up with patrols and hunting while most of his clan starved. She knew adding more pets would make hunting her clan's territory even less gainful. And they barely found anything when they did.

Littlescent looked back at the mouse while thinking of what to say.

"Take a good look at it while they last," Panzer said. "We used to be able to leave the scraps out up here and catch the birds that try to scavenge. Now we see more sky-monsters than birds. They mate fast, but we'll hunt them out even faster with pets and wildcats looking for them. After that, it's all over."

"What do you two think?" Littlescent asked. "Do you think what we're doing is the absolute right thing? We might hurt LeafClan more than I thought if they've been desperate enough to openly seize and guard our territory."

"Stupid," Panzer spat, "I've told you that already. I don't like any part of this. I think it's just the wrong time to be doing this. That should be answer enough for you."

The small warrior turned towards Sharptooth. He looked over at the dead mouse that lay nearby.

"I guess there's no way of knowing exactly what Bonbon would do in this situation," he said. "But Longstar was close to her, so I trust his decision. If he thinks it's right, I trust him."

Panzer shook her head. "Right doesn't mean good, Sharpthing. We did plenty of things during the war that were right for us but horrible for everyone else. I don't want to see the clan fall because we blindly followed the 'right' path, just as Yellowthing blindly follows the Stars."

Panzer stood and arched her back. "Hate 'right and wrong' talks. Never go anywhere. I'm going to see Fleetheart. Make sure she's not slacking off with Wolfcat and that short-pawed apprentice of his."

She turned and slapped Littlescent across the face with her tail. "And eat that stupid mouse already. Before a sky-monster comes and snatches it up."

She began making her way to the entrance leading to the lower levels as another sharp gust of wind rocked the mouse side to side, leaving the two cats alone.

"It's much easier to do this if you feel it's right," Sharptooth said. "Think of it like this: we're lucky that we have all the prey. With LeafClan moving into our territory looking for some, we could ultimately end up just like them. But if you're having doubts because of LeafClan, and not because of our own well-being, then I think you're most like Bonbon out of all of us."

Sharptooth hopped off the ledge and padded towards the steps. He turned back at the sound of a sharp pop somewhere towards the Lower Territory. A plume of smoke quickly rose in the distance from the area.

"If you're taking the cats through there, watch out for those things. Hot air hurts you more than anyone else. Have the pets go around your route; don't take them though heat and risk yourself just because it's faster."

He hopped through the entrance and down the steps, leaving the grey cat alone with the dead mouse. Littlescent went back to staring at the single-nosed sky monster, now closer, as it drifted past the large spire in front of the Twoleg prayer-house.

I help the pets, it puts both our clans in more danger. I don't help the pets, they die off or become LeafClan trophies… maybe Panzer was right. The pets could run off for the fields beyond this place's limits. Find a way to survive. Ideally away from the sky-monsters.

The pets could come to our clans and most likely starve like the wildcats. They would strain our food supply; they could cause our whole clan to starve. Worst part is they're a threat to the wildcats. Once they figure out what we've done, after it's too late for them to react, they'll be no chance for peace. Everything Horsepelt stands for would be for nothing. And all because we decided to help some pets.

The hum of the single-nosed sky-monster drew closer, flying high directly over Littlescent's head. The long, dark shape clearly showed itself as it flew in her view of the sun.

Or they can stay… ignoring an overdue warning from the Stars. And they could all die. And it would be all our faults for not doing anything about it…

From what I saw, they had given up on leaving. And they probably wouldn't have thought it if I hadn't come in and told them we would help them. I don't think I could watch by while they died… I did help convince Longstar to go along with it. It's the right thing to do.

Horsepelt agrees that we can't just let cats die for no reason when we have the means to save them. I don't know how he'd take it if I told him I let pets slowly die off to keep our clan's bellies full a bit longer. That sounds horrible. The Stars would scorn me for the rest of my life!

Littlescent looked up at the dulled blue, the sky-monster out of view. She closed her eyes as the cool wind flowed through her short fur.

I'm sorry for thinking like that, Bonbon. Your clan is about more than our own survival. It's about helping others get a fair chance at life… just as Panzer gave me.

She opened her eyes as a gust of wind forced her to cover her eyes. When she opened them, they fell on one of the thundersticks hanging over the corner of the area. The shiny fake-claw on the front gleamed in the sun, its very appearance causing a lump to form in her belly.

I don't ever want to see one of those dropped for myself, not after what Sharptooth told me what they do to cats. By saving the pets, could it ever come to that? Does helping them have to cause violence?

I hope Wolfstar ultimately doesn't attack us. Then I wouldn't have to think about any of this…

Littlescent braced the mouse under her paw and opened her jaw.

Panzer's right. I've got to start eating my food after I take it from the fresh-kill pile. I'll need all the strength I can get for tonight. There may never be peace if I get caught.