The smell of RiverClan filled his nose. Heart pounding in his chest, he leapt behind a clump of ferns, trying hard to blend in. Despite his moons away, his paws still slid easily, silently over the mud and reed, and he tramped easily toward…

Toward what?

Listening to the will of StarClan, Heronpaw had slipped out of camp early in the morning, telling no one where he was going. At first, he had hoped to maybe catch a patrol of RiverClan cats on the border, but after a chunk of time had passed, it had become clear that no patrol was coming. It was then he had been forced to accept that he was going to have to cross the border.

Nothing but the will of StarClan could have forced Heronpaw over that border. Being caught by RiverClan was sure death, being caught by SkyClan was sure exile, and he had almost no goal. It was just not a matter of who he was going to contact, but how was he going to get their attention. He couldn't sneak into camp, and he doubted that he'd get that far before one of Creekstar's guard caught him.

His only hope was to run into the right cat. Snowpaw would have been preferable, or Kestrelpaw, but he wondered just who he'd end up meeting.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a weight landed on him. Despite the bones he felt through his fur, the weight was still pretty heavy. Thinking quickly, he dropped down into a crouch, preparing to fight back when a voice whispered hoarsely in his ear.

"What are you doing here?"

Circumstances were stacked against him, but Heronpaw's heart soared at her voice. "Sablepaw!"

There was a pause, then the weight vanished from his shoulder. He sat up and looked around. His sister was sitting beside him. She looked a sight! Her fur was matted in some places, bones sticking through her ragged pelt. Even her eyes had a haunted look in them. How could he let this happen? How could Creekstar let his warriors starve?

Her eyes shown surprise too, as if she hadn't expected to see him there either. "Heronpaw?" she asked. "Is it really you?"

Heronpaw shifted on his feet nervously, well aware of his sleek fur and broad muscles.

To his surprise, Sablepaw's face went from one of shock to one of pure venom. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help," he said desperately.

"Help us?" Sablepaw spat. "You can't help us. Maybe if you had come with Snowpaw and Splashcloud, we'd have help, but not anymore."

"Sablepaw, I couldn't," he pleaded with her. "I had to do what Brackenstar told me to."

Sablepaw wasn't impressed. "Funny, I seem to go about behind my Clan leader's back all the time knowing I could die if I'm caught. But I do it anyway."

Somehow, this made Heronpaw angry. "What do you think I'm doing here?" he hissed at her. "Going behind my Clan leader's back knowing I could die if I'm caught, that's what I'm doing."

Sablepaw's face slackened a little. "Fine. I'll give you that, you did come." They were silent for a moment when Sablepaw suddenly jumped up. "Get down!"

She had barely squashed him under a reedbed when stamping feet approached. "Sablepaw," Splashcloud spoke. "What are you- " The warrior cut off. "I smell SkyClan. Who's here?"

Feeling it would be counterproductive to hide himself, Heronpaw timidly stepped out from his hiding place and faced Splashcloud head on. Besides, if he was cowering behind a rock, what kind of message would that send the warrior? He was here to help, after all. How upset could Splashcloud be?

For a moment they stood facing each other, fur bristling, eyes glaring. Finally, Splashcloud spoke, "What's he doing here?"

"I'm here to help," he replied, just as stony.

"Help us?" Splashcloud spat venomously. "How are you going to help us? You turned your back on us in SkyClan. Your own kin!"

Heronpaw stopped the shame that coursed through him and began to feel anger. How come every move he made, he got blamed for something? He couldn't make peace in SkyClan because he was born RiverClan, and he couldn't make peace in RiverClan because he dared to take care of himself when they cast him out. Instead of backing down as he might once have done, he let that anger build him confidence. He stood up straight, his muscles rippled, his tail lashed, and his eyes gleamed. "Where were you all when Creekstar kicked me out for nothing? Was I, your own Clanmate and kin, not worth defending?"

Splashcloud turned away disdainfully. "Who are we to doubt the word of StarClan?"

There it was: Heronpaw's aid. "Well Orangeleaf was wrong, wasn't he? Creekripple isn't meant to lead RiverClan, and I am meant to save it." Splashcloud whirled around, suddenly interested, but it was Sablepaw who asked,

"What do you mean, Heronpaw?"

Heronpaw lifted his head. "I met Reedstar and Hollystripe in a dream. They told me that Creekripple isn't meant to be leader, and that I had to come back."