The three toms picked their way through the brambles and gorse and brackens as they traveled through the muddy forest. Occasional lightning lit the area and the cats' paws were brown with mud.

Ravenpaw stopped for a moment to breath. He was thinnest of all, hardly daring to eat without the clan accusing him of treachery. He then picked up his speed to catch up with his friends. They stopped at the WindClan border.

"We'll leave you here," meowed Firepaw. He and Graypaw waited for their friend to depart, and sat.

Ravenpaw sat beside them and stared across the border. "I told you," he meowed again, "I'm not going. I'm not leaving the clan to believe me a traitor. What if Tigerclaw finds out? What if he comes after me?"

"We can handle all that," Graypaw assured, "Now get going."

"No!" Ravenpaw hissed stubbornly.

The three cats sat in silence until Ravenpaw lashed his tail impatiently. "I'm not going."

Firepaw heaved a sigh of exhaustion and flicked his tail for Graypaw. The long-haired gray tom stood and looked at Firepaw. "Come on, we've got to find Yellowfang."

Ravenpaw hadn't heard this part of the story. "Why? Does Bluestar think you'll be able to bring her back safely if she's innocent?"

Firepaw shrugged, but didn't speak. Suddenly, he turned and gazed into the unknown territory once more. "Ravenpaw, please go, you'll be safe."

Ravenpaw hissed, and shook his head. "Don't you want me to stay at all? I thought I was your friend!"

Graypaw backed away a bit, not liking the argument that was evolving.

"I am your friend!" Firepaw meowed, "That's why I want you to go!"

"I can watch out for myself, Firepaw, I've been training longer than you have, you know."

"Tigerclaw says he sees no improvement," Firepaw retorted.

"He doesn't want to see any improvement, and you know why!"

"Ravenpaw just cross and-"

The three cats froze, and Firepaw raised his nose and took in a big, long whiff. "That's Yellowfang! Follow me," he meowed, follow the trail.

Ravenpaw and Graypaw walked silently behind him, neither speaking to each other or Firepaw. As the weary trio padded on, they found that Firepaw had stopped moving and was staring into the sky.

Ravenpaw's fur was plastered against his pelt, but he pressed himself against Firepaw to comfort his friend. "Firepaw, I know how you feel, I'll miss her too…"

Graypaw snorted. "Well, maybe if precious Yellowfang hadn't been allowed to enter the camp-" Ravenpaw glared at him, and he decided to stop. He let out a sigh and nudged Firepaw. "We know you miss Spottedleaf, but she's watching us from StarClan, we'll be fine…"

"I've got to find Yellowfang, I've got to know the truth about all this." Firepaw meowed solemnly, then padded across the ShadowClan border, following the she-cat's scent.

The trial ended and they found Yellowfang close to the ShadowClan camp, along with the smell of kitblood.

"She hasn't seen us yet," Graypaw meowed, "Let's get her. I'll go right, Firepaw, you go left, Ravenpaw, head down the middle. She's backed against a tree, she won't escape."

Ravenpaw crept forward as his friends crept along the sides. Ravenpaw had been in ShadowClan territory before, to hunt, as Tigerclaw had ordered, but traveling this boggy land always filled him with fear. The two toms lunged at once and cornered the old she-cat, Ravenpaw revealing himself. Thin, half-starved, lanky… he didn't appear much of a threat. The wide eyes and fear scent didn't help.

"I knew ThunderClan would blame me for the missing kits!" Yellowfang hissed as she pressed herself against the tree.

Graypaw hissed and ignored her. "Why did you steal the kits? Why did you kill Spottedleaf?"

Yellowfang wore an expression of pure, undeniable shock. "Spottedleaf is dead!"

Firepaw searched her expression. "She didn't do it. She didn't kill Spottedleaf."

Ravenpaw stepped forward and demanded, though in a quivering voice, "What about the kits?"

"I scented Clawface near the nursery. He must have killed Spottedleaf as well."

"But why are you here?" Ravenpaw meowed.

"To rescue the kits, of course!"

The three toms all looked at each other. Firepaw's face was relieved. "What can we do to help?"

Ravenpaw's pelt bristled. "But… we're only three apprentices and a medicine cat! We won't be able to get in unnoticed, you know."

Yellowfang looked at her paws and muttered, "Not all of ShadowClan likes the way Brokenstar is running the show. I have allies there. And they will help us."

"How many?" Graypaw asked.

"Nightpelt, Ashfur, Dawncloud."

"So," Firepaw meowed, "That comes to seven cats against ShadowClan."

Graypaw snorted. "We'll never win with odds like that." At that moment, he, Yellowfang, and Firepaw all turned to Ravenpaw.

"Ravenpaw," Firepaw meowed, "Can you go back to camp and get a patrol to come and help us? Tell them we've found the kits, don't mention Yellowfang."

Ravenpaw's heart lurched. Travel alone through ShadowClan territory again? Back to camp? Where no one trusted him? "What if they don't believe me?"

Yellowfang titled her head in confusion, but Firepaw shook his head. "They will. They know, inside, that you're a loyal member. Now go."

With a jolt of fear, Ravenpaw took off and headed down through the territory for ThunderClan's camp.