Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors. It belongs to Erin Hunter.

'Thoughts' Dreams Memories

Tigerclaw led them further into Twolegplace, just on the outskirts of an large alley. There were less gardens here and more dens made out of stone. Lionheart took a moment to sniff around but seeing and smelling not but Twoleg stink made him stay in one place, the same could be said for Spottedleaf, who looked uncomfortable.

"Let's just hurry and help Sandpaw then go, this place...it'snot right." the molly muttered, shaking her head. Tigerclaw and nodded his head, heading for the the entrance of the alley.

"I'll try to be quick. There usually isn't much activity now, so you two should be safe. Just stay here and don't move. You'll be fine." Tigerclaw sad, giving the pair a certain look, narrowing his head before taking off.

Watching him go, Lionheart huffed then carefully maneuvered Sandpaw off his back, licking her cheek and settling next to her. He then turned his gaze onto Spottedleaf tilting his head and letting a bit of worry show through. "She'll be okay, right? We aren't too late, aren't we?"

Spottedleaf joined him, pressing her fur against his and nuzzling into Lionheart briefly. "No, not yet. But we must hurry, the signs are already showing. We can't put this off for any longer."

"And the others?" the male asked, staring all around, his tail twitching with uncertainty.

Spottedleaf looked down at her paws then shook her head, sighing. "If Tigerclaw means what he says, then we will have to bring the others here to hunt. WE can't...we can't risk attacking the others, even after everything that has happened."

Lionheart nodded at this, seeing what she meant. "We'll have to be careful, do this in groups. If we take the all of them with us..."

"It'll be harder to reign them in." Spottedleaf finished, flattening her ears. "Don't worry, you and I will think of something."

After a few more moments, Tigerclaw came back not just with one but two cats, one held firmly in his jaws and the other slung over his back. Spottedleaf and Lionheart both stood, confused, before the massive tabby dropped one of the cats in front of them and stood back.

"For you, you two can't tell me that you're not starving. Besides, it won't help Sandpaw for you to be hungry while she gets to eat. So, go on."

The pair only stared at the dead cat in front of then, a fairly plump black male, before hunger got the best of them and they dove for it, tearing into the body with snarls and fangs driving in deep. Tigerclaw sat a little away, knowing to not get too close. He didn't want to risk being bitten.

Soon, there was nothing left of the black cat but heavily chewed bones and scraps of fur. Lionheart let out a pleased growl, stretching and extending his claws. Spottedleaf was washing blood out of her fur, but looked content as while. As the pair were basking in feeling truly full in a while, Sandpaw began to stir.

The pale furred molly groaned softly and slowly got to her paws. When she saw Lionheart and Spottedleaf, she growled, baring her fangs. However before she could truly react, Lionheart pounced on her and held her down, putting his face close to hers.

"You're going to listen and do exactly what we say, Sandpaw. It's for your own good! Tigerclaw, now!"

Wit his cue, Tigerclaw dragged the other cat, this one a light brown and white tom, towards Sandpaw, who looked at it and scowled before biting into Lionheart's leg. The golden tom barely reacted before sinking his own fangs into Sandpaw's neck, causing her to hiss and yowl in pain, only then did Lionheart let go.

"You need to eat this, and if we have to shove down your throat, so be it." The massive male growled, his eyes narrowing. Sandpaw glared up at him, turning away from the slain cat. She wouldn't dare eat another cat, even as her belly rumbled loudly for food. "If you keep being stubborn, you'll starve and then you'll become the very monster the other cats fear us to be." Lionheart added, his voice softening a bit to try and convince the younger demon.

Sandpaw however, still snarled and tried to snap at Lionheart. Seeing that they wouldn't get anywhere with her this way, Tigerclaw tore a chunk out from the dead cat and with Lionheart's and Spottedleaf's help, pried the molly's mouth open and forced the piece of meat deep down her throat.

Sandpaw hissed and growled, thrashing wildly but the combined strength of the three cats forced her to remain cowed and soon she no choice but to swallow the meat or choke.

However as she was making up her mind on what to do, the taste of blood and the meat itself slowly started to get to her. Sandpaw's struggles eased, her claws sheathed and her fur began to lie flat. Her eyes widened for a moment, just staring as she chewed slowly. Then she swallowed.

The three older demons stepped away from Sandpaw and allowed her to rise. Slowly the pale furred molly stood and without any prompting, walked over the slain cat and fell upon it, tearing into it and gulping down as much meat as she could, often without hardly chewing.

When she ate her fill, Sandpaw turned away from the remains, there was still plenty more and Tigerclaw, seeing this, pulls the carcass away to finish up what was left.

Sandpaw had her back to him, her whole body was trembling. Blood from the dead cat dripped from her mouth but she did nothing about it. Her paws were also stained with this blood. Her trembling grew worse and Spottedleaf moved to lean close to the younger female, who let out a strangled cry and buried her face into the healer's chest.

"I...I... couldn't stop! It...it tasted so good! What's wrong with me?!" Sandpaw asked Spottedleaf, her body wreaked with guilt over what she had done.

Spottedleaf licked the young cat's head, her gaze soft with sympathy as she wrapped her tail around her. "Nothing, absolutely nothing. Sandpaw, you are not a monster, you're not. Do you think you're father is a monster? Lionheart? Me?"

Sandpaw flinched at that and looked up at the older cat, though swiftly turned away after she felt herself becoming lightheaded. "...No" she said after a moment, shaking her head. "But...if not a monster, then what does that make me?"

"Kin." Lionheart said, standing to his full height. "We are with you, Sandpaw. So long as you have us, you have nothing to fear. There are real monsters that you must face, some of them much closer than you ever wanted to be. If you want to see real monsters, than look no further than your Clanmates."

"But...Whitestorm-" Sandpaw tried to argue, though Lionheart cut her off.

"Is only one warrior. Do you think he could defend and protect us from a whole Clan?" At that, Sandpaw only bowed her head. Yet after a while, she looked up at Spottedleaf, her eyes still uncertain.

"Just...give me some time, please. Right now...I just want to go home." she finished quietly. The healer and the warrior both nodded to that and Lionheaert nudged Tigerclaw, who was brooding quietly from the shadows.

XxXx

The party made it back to the camp without incident and the first cat they saw was Ravenpaw. The black cat turned his head and was about to call out to them but then saw Tigerclaw and lowered his head. Sandpaw walked over to him and nuzzled him, wondering about his injury.

"I'm fine, just...tired." he muttered, keeping his eyes down. He then noticed something and sniffed along her coat. "Sandpaw...you smell like blood and fresh meat...did you?"

Sandpaw flinched but nodded all the same. Yet when she spoke, her voice was subdued. "Please, Spottedleaf and the others gave me time to think about it...and I really don't want to talk about it right now. I still feel like...I've done something wrong."

"I'll be here for you, Sandpaw. But let me say one thing. Don't hate who you are, there's nothing wrong with being born a demon." Ravenpaw said, giving the molly's cheek a quick lick. Sandpaw chuckled softly at that, her tail waving. "No...I suppose not...because of that, we...are kin." the molly said, to whick Ravenpaw smiled and playfully bit at her ear.

"We're right, and no matter what, your kin will look after you."

A/N: Another short one guys, sorry. This one was mainly for Sandpaw to start to work through her demon linage and begin coming to terms with it. More of that in the coming chapters but I wanted to set the ground work for it. Hope you like and as always, enjoy.