It was a nice day when Dandelionface made her way through ThunderClan's forest, heading for the border that led to unclaimed forest. She was moving quickly, but made sure to keep her steps lightly for fear that one single loud sound would call upon Dovewing's attention.

That was the bad thing about having a cat whose senses were extraordinary. Dovewing could see and hear everything that happened in ThunderClan, but also in the other Clans and somewhat beyond. Sneaking around was tricky, but the tortoiseshell had found that if she timed her actions well...Dovewing would be too distracted.

The arrival of the kits was good, the gray queen would be far more focused on tending to her litter of three, as Hazeltail volunteered to foster the two daughters of her half-sister. Dovewing may not be in charge of five kits, but the three she have would require a lot of care and attention, as all kits did.

Dandelionface knew that fact very well.

Reaching the border, the tortoiseshell halted. Looking around in all directions, her ears moving and her eyes peering closely into every nook, crevice, and shadows. If any of her Clanmates were to see her here, then they would ask questions...questions that Dandelionface was not ready to answer.

So it was critical that she be on her guard, and to quickly take care of any potential problem before it became a big mess.

After several heartbeats the tortoiseshell relaxed a bit. She was safe for now, and that was all she needed in order to enter the unfamiliar forest.

Unlike most cats of her Clan, Dandelionface was able to move comfortably in the unknown wood, but she paused beside a bramble thicket. Tasting the air, the young warrior crouched down and slid forward, then sprung forward. A small squeal was quickly cut off as Dandelionface sat up, a mouse dangling in her jaws.

Setting it down to one side, the tortoiseshell sniffed around for more prey. It wasn't long before she was on the move again, the mouse and a shrew dangling by their tails from her jaws.

Dandelionface came to a clearing where the ground was uneven and moss-covered rocks jutted out of the ground. Beneath one of the biggest boulders was a hole, like the entrance to a tunnel.

Ignoring it, she slunk around the boulders, her gaze flicking from side to side in search of the main entrance. She found it soon enough, smaller than the first, and well-hidden in a clump of ferns.

It was the best thing they could have found, close enough to ThunderClan without being too close. Dovewing rarely had need to look this far as well.

Dropping the mouse and shrew, Dandelionface leaned close to the hole and let out a soft mew. The smell of cat wafted from the entrance, almost hidden under the strong odor of dampness and earth. From within there can a small, high-pitched mew which was quickly shushed.

The sound of scuffling paws was accompanied by the sight of a cat's face poking out of the hole, blue eyes blinking a bit from the sudden change in brightness. For a moment the cat stared at Dandelionface, but then she must have recognized her because her expression became one of delight, but also relief.

"Hello Dandelionpaw," the cat meowed, wiggling her way out until she was sitting just outside the patch of ferns. "It's not Dandelionpaw any longer," the warrior corrected. "My name is Dandelionface now."

"Dandyface?" A kit's voice came from the tunnel, and a dark tabby kitten scampered out with a tiny light brown she-kit on his heels. It had been the little tom-kit who had spoken, but the other kit ran over to snuggle into Dandelionface's fur.

Letting out a mrrow of amusement, Dandelionface corrected him. "It's Dandelionface," she told him. "But how are you Darkkit?"

"Good!" the little tom meowed, trotting in circles around the pair. "Mama has been teaching me and Duckkit how to pounce." Before she could reply, the two kits were crouched down and slowly creeping around the small clearing. Duckkit wiggled her rump, then leap on top of Darkkit. The two kittens rolled around in a ball of squeaks and flailing paws, being watched over by the two proud she-cats.