Preface

Just a question-- I got a review from someone saying I should turn this to an M story. What are your thoughts on that? Personally, after reading Warriors lemons, I think that this is extremely, extremely mild. But not so much in gore. XD But... I just want the opinions of you guys. That said, enjoy the next installment, chapter 12!!

Thank you so much to: LittleSpark, Flamesong, Sparklespazz101, Ivoryclaw, Luminous Snow, Shadowave, leafpool407, Kitty-flower, cassie glitter, and Soul. You guys take the cake. GRRR! MY CAKE!

Journeying Back

Because the cat whom Purnak was most angry with was the one who had escaped, the angry black and white tom vented his fury on Torch. "You stupid, boneheaded piece of shit! You let my Clan cat get away!" He lashed out at the ginger tom who rolled away at the last second, crouching among the tobacco plants.

"I'm sorry Purnak," he panted, exhausted from his chase with the she-cat. He was just as mad at himself for losing her; a prisioner. "I really am,"

Purnak bared his teeth. "When didn't you learn that 'sorry' is about as much use as a fish in a squirrel-eating contest?" he leaped at the ginger tom and this time caught Torch's nose. He let out a yowl of pain as blood ran down his face. "You need to pay for that! She was going to earn me much prey!"

"What if you didn't kill me though?" Torch improvised wildly. Suddenly he remembered that instead of paying an old debt, Thorn had offered to work for Purnak for a year. "What if I worked for you?" It couldn't be too bad, could it? Cats who worked for each other were more like the Searchers under the control of the leader back at the Fire Tunnels; not slaves but under the rule of one greater than them.

"Really?" Purnak relaxed a bit and seemed to think it over. Finally he snarled, "Very well. But screw it up and I will kill you!" Torch hung his head.

--

Firepaw woke up as the sun was going down. As she stared up at the vibrant, red sky in confusion, she decided that she really had to get back on a regular schedule so that she wasn't awake half the night. She got up slowly, testing her tired paws, then stretched and climbed out of the ditch. It was more of a hole actually; a narrow space along a backyard. A fence bordered it, the kind that was along the town back home. Twolegplace, she corrected herself. Once she was back with the Clans she couldn't be saying things like city and house, she would totally weird out her Clan mates.

She turned and began to follow her scent trail back toward the field; she had slept nearly a whole day and she doubted that the Fire Path cats would still be hanging around after all this time. She sighed as she scented the fear mingled with her tracks and wondered if life could ever be the same once she was back home.

She was crossing the second road on the way back and heading through a small garden when she spotted movement beside her and whirled around, her fur standing up. A cat was clambering down from a tree, and after the last three tail-lengths leaped down. It began to pad toward the house. She recognized it as a house cat. "You there!" she called, bounding over to him.

It was a plump gray tom, who arched his back as he saw her coming and began to sprint toward the house. Firepaw, even injured, easily caught up to him and bowled him over with a soft swipe. He rolled, then leaped up and faced her, terror in his gaze. "What do you want?"

"Did you see any cats going through here? Fierce ones?" She asked, licking her shoulder that was beginning to drip blood.

"Y-you mean the Fire Path cats? They come this way every year, so I usually don't come outside around now." he meowed, glancing around nervously. Then he peered at her closely. "But- you not one of them. You look different than cats around here."

Firepaw nodded. "I'm a forest cat. They-"

But the gray tom's eyes rolled as she said that and he let out a scream of terror. Then faster than she could have imagined, he was gone. Firepaw heaved a sigh. These cats could chat all they wanted about the terrors of the Fire Path cats, but mention the Clans, and they go running for their mothers, she thought disgustedly. Shaking her head, she began across the yard again. It wasn't long before she was warily crossing through the field of green plants. As she neared the spot they'd been at eariler, she could scent them, but it seemed stale. Relief flowed through her.

After arriving back out of the field, she recalled that they had been heading toward the setting sun. Making sure it was behind her and that the trail seemed familiar, she set off down the road feeling rather pleased. She traveled until it was dark out, pausing in disgust when she passed the place that Purnak had thrown the young she-cat onto the road, then hurrying on. At last she found another place to settle for the night, a large bush in a garden that reminded her of the warriors' den. She had only been in there a few times to change the bedding, and curled up happily dreaming of her Clan mates. Soon she'd be back home, sharing prey with Kestrelpaw and laughing with Treepa-

Pain pierced her heart at the thought of her best friend, and she curled into a tight ball and rested her aching paws.

Firepaw traveled more quickly the next day, stopping to hunt twice, and then carried on. She spotted a few cats as she headed closer to the city, but other than that avoided anyone. Her shoulder had continued to bleed until she paused her trip to search for some cobwebs. Trying to remember how Ashpelt, the medicine cat, had done it, she plastered them onto her fur.

Her paws ached from so much traveling by the time the sun was going down, but she had gone far. She was entering the city, padding along what seemed to be a little familiar. She should find an alley to sleep in, she decided. Waiting for a small car to roar by, and realizing she was no longer afraid of the 'monsters,' she hurried across the one-lane street and headed into a small alley that was mostly empty save for a few peices of trash. They stank, but were soft enough, like a pelt, for her to lay on. Yawning, Firepaw began to shove them together to make a nest.

A voice behind her made her jump. "Well, well, well! A she-cat! How pleasant!"