Starling's point of view
Starling walked quietly through the Twolegplace careful not to alert anyone he was there.
Twolegplace was quite a by nightfall most of the Twolegs and their monsters were asleep the few that were out moved sluggishly across the Thunderpath making it easy for Starling to walk through the dark alleyways since Twoleg's didn't have night vision.
The pair of large red Twoleg nests that marked the alleyway The Kin used as their main entrance came into view.
"Alright, how do I into the camp?" Starling plotted in his head he couldn't just walk in through either the front or side entrance since they were guarded and Shadowmaw would easily sniff him out. The only way in was through the Twoleg nest windows.
"Now how do I get up to the window?" Starling's mind suddenly snapped to the leap that the Skyclan cats did to get into trees he'd never done it, but he tried to imitate how they had done it.
Starling crouched to his haunches and leaped upward clearly not as graceful as the Skyclan cat's front claws barely hitting the windowsill with a mighty breath Starling heaved himself onto the window balancing awkwardly to keep himself up.
Leaping again Starling landed on the fence that marked The Kin's camp borders Starling walked carefully along the fence keeping himself low to not be seen.
Inside the kin camp Starling could see several Kin cats milling around miserably licking and treating wounds from the battle they had in Thunderclan the clans had one as the atmosphere was low and quiet.
Starling flinched as he saw Shadowmaw lumber his way into camp pelting heavily pelt covered in blood the wolf slumped down into the back of his cage quickly drifting off to sleep.
"Ya so tell us how that crushing SkyClan and ShadowClan from your base in our camp went" Starling looked over to the cage beside Shadowmaw where the ThunderClan prisoners kept seeing an older looking golden brown tabby tom sneer.
"Oh, please do I can't wait to hear all about it" a young-looking golden tabby tom added sarcastically.
"Quite you ThunderClan pond scum!" Silt hissed in anger swiping her claws through the cage and hitting the golden tabby tom on the face the tom recoiled into the back of the cage.
"You put a claw on my son again all rip them out and shove them up that pink little nose of yours" a larger golden tabby tom screeched pushing himself up to meet Silt his massive size making the dirty white she-cat look like a kit.
"And what are you going to do when we let Shadowmaw walk into your cage and enjoy a nice Thunderclan feast!" Silt screeched all the Thunderclan cat's coward back in fear except the 3 golden toms who all sternly turned back to their clanmates.
"Thunderclan's scrawny anyways not much of a real feast for Shadowmaw barely an appetizer" Silt laughed to Kong as they walked away.
Starling looked around to see the rest of the Kin his parents talking with Sleekwhisker his sisters Kite and Nettle meowing to each other angrily and his other sibling Darkness and Mint talking with Elephant and Dragon.
Starling's heart tugged in pain upon seeing his siblings and friends he was happy to see that they were alive but knowing he had to hide from them mad seeing them a flavor of bittersweet Starling didn't know he was capable of tasting.
A sudden wale cut through the air everyone turned their head to see the Sourdough emerge from the crack in the side of the wall that was the nursery with his kits Gale Adder and Juniper followed by Cardinal and Chicken carrying a limp dark gray body covered in blood. Starling's blood turned to ice as he realized it was Sourdough's mate and mother to his kits Prodigy.
"Prodigy she's dead!" Sourdough wailed in despair wrapping his paws around their 8 moon-old kits who cried into their father's beige fur.
Sleekwhisker came down to investigate her head hung low.
"This is truly a tragedy" the yellow she-cat began "Prodigy was a brave fighter and like all of you was willing to put her life on the line to kill those vile clan pond scum. She died a truly honorable death fighting for The Children of The Kin in her death she leaves behind a grieving mate in Sourdough and three strong and beautiful kits in Gale, Adder, and Juniper" Sleekwhisker pointed to Sourdough and his kits huddled in the corner with Cardinal and Chicken comforting them.
"Let her death serve as a reminder of why we need to destroy each in every one of these augh Clan cats" Sleekwhisker stared at the Clan cats.
"As soon as Shadowmaw is healthy we will have him kill one of these clan cats as payback!" Sleekwhisker screeched in triumph green eyes glowing with psychotic pride.
"For Darktail!" Sleekwhisker Raven and Roach cheered.
"For Darktail" the rest of The Kin cheered awkwardly clearly still sad about Prodigy's death.
"Meeting dismissed Ice, Grizzly, help me bury Prodigy please" Sleekwhisker announced picking up Prodigy and carrying her out in camp followed by siblings Ice and Grizzly.
"Everyone needs to get some sleep, so everyone gets to bed"
Starling watched in pain as he saw Sourdough collapse to the floor in sadness.
"It's not fair it's not fair!"
"I know I know Sourdough just let it out it's ok" Chicken whispered into his friend's ear.
"She should never have been in that battle Flair and Sam shouldn't have been sent into battle either it's not fair!" Sourdough hissed.
"Okay, okay Sourdough I know you're upset, but you shouldn't be questioning the high command so loudly" Cardinal angrily hissed trying to shush Sourdough.
"We didn't even win the battle so what was even the point of her death? to get our tails kicked by the Clan to weaponize it to make us hate the clans even more!" Sourdough boomed Starling froze as he saw his siblings Nettle and Kite march towards them.
"Well, if you think the clans are so strong then why don't you go join them because all of you are kicked out of The Kin" Nettle screeched.
"Wh-wait what? but Wead never" Chicken stuttered.
"We're not taking any risk that your friend here has filled you and those kits heads of yours" Kite added.
"You don't have permission to do that only High Command can say that" Cardinal hissed.
"Oh, but we have permission from high command" Kite and Nettle pointed to Sleekwhisker, Raven, and Roach's green eyes glimmering with malic well Sleekwhisker, Raven, and Roach stood there cold.
"Now you have 5 seconds to get out of the Kins camp or we will kill you" Kite, Nettle, Raven, Roach, and Sleekwhisker lunged forward Sourdough, Cardinal, and Chicken each picked up a kit and ran out the camp entrance, and down the alleyway.
Suddenly an idea came to Starling's head, and he leaped down after them.
"Who's-who's there?" Cardinal hissed unsheathing her claws.
"Guys, guys chill out it's just me it's Starling" Starling revealed himself in the alleyway.
"What the" Sourdough screeched in surprise Starling quickly put his paw over the beige tom's mouth "Quite The Kin will hear you!"
"Starling what are you doing here we all thought you were dead!" Chicken meowed in shock surprised to see Starling alive.
"Look it's a long story but I'm forced to be working for the Clans"
"You what!" Cardinal screeched quietly.
"I know how it sounds but hear me out for a second"
Cardinal raised her hackles in a hiss Starling tensed as it looked like the reddish, she-cat was going to attack him thankfully Sourdough and Chicken held him back.
"What do mean I thought the clans didn't let anyone who wasn't pure clan blood in?" Chicken asked/
"Hay big difference between being let in and prisoner. I was thinking about asking to join they seem a lot nicer than Sleekwhisker lets on"
"Wow, you got to see the clans that amazing" Sourdough's son Adder piped in excitedly.
"So what clan are you in is it ShadowClan, ThunderClan" Gale added in.
"It's probably RiverClan look at how well-rounded he is" Juniper pointed to Starling
"Hay I'm not well rounded it's long fur"
"So anyways what were you saying about the clan's Starling?" Sourdough asked.
"Well, I saw what happened back there with you and my siblings and I think that it be best that you get to the clans"
"Go to the Clans Starling to have bees in your brain?" Cardinal hissed.
"I know that it seems crazy but what else are you gonna do if the Kin have a target on your back then they're gonna want to get rid of you. They're gonna want to get rid of you so they can take the kits and turn them into obedient little warriors for the Kin. The only option for you is leaving Twoleg place and where are you going to go into the woods and risk the kit's lives go to a Twoleg shelter and risk being torn apart from each other and never being seen again"
Sourdough looked down at the kit's eyes welling with despair and loss.
"The Clans are the only large group around here and by the way, they treated me they would be glad to let in a couple of cats kicked out of The Kin epically if they had kits"
"I'd rather be a loner out on my own than join the clans" Cardinal snorted Starling knew that like a lot of the Kin Cardinal used to be a loner before she joined along with Sourdough well Chicken used to be a kittypet.
"All go" Chicken practically shouted.
"What!" Cardinal screeched in disbelief.
"I've seen how living in a group can benefit me I love being around other cats and don't want to go back to being by myself" the white tom padded over and sat down beside Starling to show his support.
"I'm not forcing anyone it was just my suggestion if you guys want to be loners again then that's fine by me and can just take Chicken back with me"
"All go" Sourdough's voice boomed Cardinal and Chicken stared in shock.
"It's best for the kits Prodigy always wanted to raise our kits around other cats she said it would be like a big family like from when she lived on a farm, she wouldn't want them to live as a loner were coming with you"
"I guess all come to Prodigy was my best friend she would want me to watch over her kits and I'm going to upkeep her promise Carinal meowed solemnly.
"All lead the way follow me" Starling signaled with his tail-walking towards the exit of Twolegplace and the clans.
Flamestorm's point of view
Flamestorm, Myrtleflower, and Sparkpelt walked through the alleyways of Twoleg place.
Everyone had been shaken up by Shadowmaw's attack on the deer herd last night and all three of them were on high alert for any sign of The Kin or Shadowmaw.
They had been walking all day, reached Twoleg place shortly before dusk, and decided to rest before resuming their search the next day.
"What about there the looks like a good spot to rest for the night" Myrtleflower pointed to a small clump of bushes beside a twoleg walkway.
"Well, my legs feel like they're going to fall off, so all take it" Sparkpelt sighed slumping down into the brambles followed by Myrtleflower.
Before Flamestorm was able to sit down he heard something crashing through a Twoleg alleyway.
"Ow, mouse-dung I'm gonna feel that one in the morning" a voice groaned in pain.
"What the?" Flamestrom sighed as he walked over to investigate.
"Flamestorm get back it could be dangerous" Sparkpelt yelled in alarm
"Oh, don't worry mom it sounds like a cat they might be hurt"
Flamestorm reached the alleyway to see a lump of fur stand up Flamestorm's eyes went wide as he saw a gray and white pelt, he recognized from ThunderClan and the amber eyes of Dewnose staring back at him.
"Dewnose!"
"Oh, hay Flamestorm long time no see" the tom responded awkwardly.
"Dewnose what in Starclan's name are you doing here!" Sparkpelt screeched trying to lunge at Dewnose before being held back by Flamestorm and Myrtleflower.
"I should have killed you back at ThunderClan camp when I had the chance you useless good for nothing floundering mouse fish, you're the worst cat that's ever lived I don't know why Sorrelstripe choose you as a mate even a rough would have been a better choice then you"
"Seriously Dewnose what are you doing here" Myrtleflower demanded.
"I just, I wanted to look for my son" Dewnose whispered.
"Oh, so now you want to come and look for your son after you treated him like nothing now you want to go looking for him" Sparkpelt sneered in anger.
"Well, if you wanted to help look for Finchsong and Bayblossom why didn't you just ask us"
"I know I was afraid to ask earlier but after you, all left, I just felt wrong for it and when we were all heading off to battle The Kin when Thunderclan launched our attack I just froze, and I just sat there like a mouse brain watching The Kin fight and well I ran towards Twolegplace looking for you"
"So, you disserted ThunderClan so you could make yourself feel like the hero of your sad little life" Sparkpelt hissed venomously.
"Mom what matters is that he still felt like he needed to find his son" Flamestorm tried to calm his mother down.
"What about the battle with The Kin do you know how it went?" Myrtleflower asked.
"Well, I didn't see it, but I saw The Kin running away from ThunderClan's camp, so I assume that we won"
"That doesn't surprise me it was all 5 clans against The Kin even with Shadowmaw we have the numbers advantage"
"So, you're saying that The Kin are probably back here now and could be anywhere around us"
"Forget The Kin I'm more worried about Shadowmaw walking around eating us" Dewnose quivered.
"I think that's the main problem we could have all the cats in the forest and Shadowmaw can just eat a solid 6 at once he's unstoppable" Sparkpelt added.
"Wolf is not unstoppable you small warriors just need to look in new places" a mysterious voice rumbled gruffly from the darkness of the alleyway.
"Who's there" Sparkpelt hissed.
Everyone stood frozen as a massive elderly badger lumbered into view.
Starling's point of view
"Wait what I'm I going to tell SkyClan?" Starling began to panic internally as he crossed the Thunderpath with Cardinal, Chicken, Sourdough, and his kits.
"Oh, hay Leafstar I'm sorry it took so long to get back to Skyclan camp, oh and by the way, I found brought you these 5 random Kin cats for you to look after oh, and by the way, The Kin are going execute a ThunderClan prisoner tomorrow do what you want with that information okay thanks good talk bye"
Starling began to wonder where to take them he didn't want to take them to SkyClan since he didn't want to show up with 5 new cats in the Clan he was trying to join.
Suddenly as the moors came into view Starling got an idea WindClan lives on those moors at least that's what Dewspring had told him he could just take them there.
"Alright we're here now" Starling pointed to the snow-covered moors.
"What do you mean we're here?" Cardinal asked.
"This is WindClan territory their camp is down that way a little bit of a walk away find a WindClan patrol they will take you in as long as you hunt and fight for them, they will probably give you a different name and since the kits are older than 6 moons old, they will be made apprentices"
"Are we going to see you again?" Adder asked yellow eyes shining in the night.
"Yes of course you'll see me again I'm in SkyClan you'll see me again at gatherings"
Starling turned and looked at Sourdough, Chicken, and Cardinal.
"I have to get going back to SkyClan take care of yourselves" Starling turned to head towards SkyClan territory.
"Will do Starling" Chicken piped up.
"I hope that I made the right choice" Starling pondered as he walked towards the SkyClan camp.
Starling cringed looking back on it assuming WindClan would let in 5 refuges in the middle of Leafbare was quite a stupid assumption he was just banking on the kits pulling at their heartstrings.
Starling saw the camp entrance come into view at the entrance Plumwillow was guarding the entrance.
"Hay it's me, Starling"
The dark gray she-cat dipped her head and lead Starling into the SkyClan camp.
"Leafstar Starling would like to see you" Plumwillow called into the leader's den the cream and brown tabby lazily walked into the clearing rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Hello Starling"
"Hello"
"What did you find with The Kin"
"Well, there not taking their defeat very well and some of the ThunderClan prisoners were taunting them about it and Sleekwhisker said they're going to execute one of the ThunderClan cats tomorrow"
Leafstar's eyes went wide with shock "Oh my that's certainly shocking all have to talk to Squirrelflight about this as soon as possible"
"That's all that I have to report I'm probably just going to go to bed now" before Starling could go over to the medicine den where he was being kept Leafstar interrupted him.
"Starling can you please come here" Starling froze in place to see the Skyclan leader standing on top of the tall stump.
"Yesterday you requested that you be made a warrior and officially join SkyClan and I will uphold your request" Starling sat shocked he was surprised he had been able to join SkyClan.
"I Leafstar call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this former rouge he has learned about the ways of your noble code, and I command you to him as a warrior in turn. Starling, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan even if it costs you your life"
"I do" Starling replied shakily.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Starling from this moment on you will be known as Starlingeye's StarClan honors your open-mindedness and helpfulness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan"
Finchsong's point of view
A loud noise came from the other side of the Thunderpath and caught Finchsong's attention.
Finchsong and Bayblossom had been walking all day and had reached the edge of Twolegplace although traveling was slow Bayblossom was still not himself to Finchsong he seemed almost hollow he was alive but not really with it he didn't seem to react to anything other than indifference.
"Bayblossom did you hear that!"
"Ya, it was probably just a monster"
"That doesn't make sense most of the monsters are asleep now and that didn't sound like a monster it almost sounded like something moaning" If it was something moaning it was bigger than any animal that Finchsong had ever heard the only thing that big Finchsong could think of was Shadowmaw and that didn't sound like a wolf at all.
"Let's go check it out" Finchsong and Bayblossom both darted across the Thunderpath to the location of the sound.
As they got closer the sound became more discernable it sounded like a low deep bellowing like whatever was making it was in pain the sound was coming from the bushes a large shape rustled kicking up leaves and snow.
Finchsong approached to see a large mass of bloodied light brown fur writhing and squirming on the ground the creature turned its neck and stared back at Finchsong with a pair of deep brown eyes.
Finchsong realized that the creature was a female deer.
Finchsong froze in a panic the deer's pelt was tattered and torn with blood her flank had several deep bites and gash marks too large for any dog.
This was the work of Shadowmaw.
"So, it's a deer can we please get going" Bayblossom moaned.
"No Bayblossom we have to help her we're not going to leave her to die here" Finchsong looked back at the deer her deep brown eyes shining with a raw burning pain that seared into her soul and a deep terror from nearly avoiding death at the jaws of Shadowmaw.
"Finchsong it's just a deer can we please just go home"
"No Bayblossom think about Sorrelstripe would she want anyone else to die at Shadowmaw's jaws like she did" Bayblossom stood frozen it was a deep blow to have his mother mentioned.
"Sorry I didn't mean it like that, err... anyways we need to stop the bleeding. I don't think will find enough cobwebs for, her so it'll need something else"
"No stems would be too small tree bark would be too inflexible" Finchsong wondered out loud.
"What about reeds I saw a pound in a ditch back on the other side of the Thunderpath" Bayblossom meowed quietly.
"Reeds, reeds! that's a great idea Bayblossom why don't you go and find some for me all stay and watch the deer"
"Ya sure I guess" Bayblossom nodded as he bounded over the Thunderpath to go where he had seen the pond.
Finchsong turned back to look at the deer thinking about the terror that she must have gone through almost being killed by Shadowmaw she knew that she needed to get back to ThunderClan to she needed to find her mother and brother.
She knew that Bayblossom needed to see his sister and confront Dewnose and resolve their problems for the good of both of them.
But most of all she knew that Shadowmaw but more importantly Sleekwhisker and her whole operation needed to be stopped no matter what.