When Dawnkit woke it was dark and the cool night air was pressing against the sides of her flank. Most of the kits in the den had lulled asleep, even Emberkit, but Ivykit was the only one still awake. She sat silently at the entrance to the den, staring out into the wide expansive forest that surrounded them.

Dawnkit stepped over quietly, sitting down next to Ivykit. Ivykit was all white with splotches of light brown painting her face and parts of her back. Forest green eyes twinkled in the moonlight as she watched the sky.

"You know…" She whispered, casting a quick glance to Dawnkit and then staring back out at the sky. "The forest is very beautiful at night. It's like being in a completely new world."

"It is a different world." Dawnkit murmured quietly, staring at the stars that twinkled in through the mesh of branches and leaves. They sat in silence absorbed in it all, ignoring the awful evil hanging over their heads just for a moment.

"Why did they do it?" Ivykit asked suddenly, her voice taut with a sea of emotions.

"I don't know… When I had crept out… Dovestar had been so cruel, there was no mercy. It was as if she thought she were doing the right thing. She said it had all been for star clan… At least that's what I saw. I don't know why they thought it was right…" The words came out in a scrambled mess as Dawnkit attempted to console Ivykit.

"How could they think murdering three innocent cats was good?" Ivykit's voice broke, but Dawnkit didn't have an answers. "The clan is supposed to protect… They were supposed to be good." Ivykit's voice shook and deep pity broke into Dawnkit's chest.

"No one knows why bad cats do bad things…" Dawnkit murmured sadly, tears prickling at the edges of her eyes at the thought her mother. Flashes of red intercepted her thoughts and she squeezed her eyes shut, she just wanted it all to go away. She would have stayed in the nursery for years if it would have kept her mother alive, but unfortunately death did not pick between the sinners or saints.

They sat there for a couple moments more, in a mutual silence that was taut but also comfortable. They had survived, that was one thing they would always remember, but others had not, and that was something they would never forget.

The smell of smoke hit Dawnkit's nostrils and she sneezed. Her eyes shot up trying to search for fire, but she couldn't see anything. The night around them was as black as before, no glowing hot embers or rising flames, but the smell hit her all the same. She knew it was incoming, especially with the wind pulling it their way. They needed to start moving again. Ivykit looked at her, an understanding, and albeit horrified, look that relieved Dawnkit.

"Everyone up." Ivykit spoke first, and roused the rest of the other kits.

"Wh-Why?" Brindlekit shot up terrified, as if he had already been dreaming of terrible things. It was an understandable response, since they were currently living in a nightmare, so Dawnkit stepped over and placed a tail over his shoulder.

"There is smoke. I don't know from where, or why, but it's here and we need to leave." Her voice shook again, because what if it was closer than they knew.

"Unless we all want black lungs." Ivykit added, a sense of humor in her tongue. It pulled weak smiles onto Brindlekit and Kestrelkit's faces, and it made Dawnkit smile too.

Soon they were all awake and trudging through the forest, in the direction they thought was away from the clan. It was opposite of the plumage of smoke that was rising through the trees, so it must have been better.

"How far do we plan on walking?" Emberkit asked, not so quietly. Dawnkit flattened her ears, if Emberkit had such a problem then she could offer a better idea.

"I have no idea. Until we are safe." Dawnkit answered, shooting an annoyed glance back at the kit who was trailing right behind her.

"That's a terrible idea." Emberkit explained, holding her head up in defiance. "Just wandering around the forest in the dark, while there is a fire." She looked like she had a whole lot more to say, but she waited for Dawnkit to respond. As if she were waiting to shoot down her next explanation, or idea.

"Well then Emberkit, what's your idea?" Dawnkit turned back toward her, her tail lashing out behind her. "What should we have done? Stayed there? And inhale all that smoke, or even get found out. Or maybe we should have just stayed in the camp and let murders decide our fate."

"Our clan is not made of murders." Emberkit shot back, she had always been very attached to the clan.

"No? Then explain to me why everyone cheered while my mother was torn to pieces, while your mother was. Why nearly everyone participated in ripping four mothers apart, and why their leader led the battle. Dovestar killed my father for her position, it's not honorable at all, it's downright evil." Dawnkit snarled, she was done with all of Emberkit's snappish retorts.

"Dawnkit. Get off." Kestrelkit hissed, coming behind his sister and glaring at her. It hurt to see her best friend to come against her, but Dawnkit held her position.

"Well, if she is going to complain, at least have a better excuse than I don't want. How about some advice?" Dawnkit retorted, resisting the urge to keep walking away from Emberkit.

"What did I just say Dawnkit?" Kestrelkit growled, and finally Dawnkit backed down. She stepped back and shook her head. Why follow her if they didn't agree?

"She has a point though…" Ivykit's meek voice piped up through the tense silence that had ensued. "If you are going to complain Emberkit, please have something else to add. We are all under a lot of stress, and Dawnkit has been the one leading us from the beginning. If you would rather do it, I'm sure she would love a break." Dawnkit shot Ivykit a grateful glance, and relief exploded into her chest. At least she had back up. Emberkit nodded her head to them, but had nothing more to say.

Ignoring Kestrelkit's icy glance, Dawnkit turned around and continued leading. It was going to be a long walk out of the forest, but as long as they were alive Dawnkit didn't care how they felt.

They carried along through the brush till they met another river. This one was so much bigger than any of them had ever seen, or even imagined. It was about as wide as the entire camp and Dawnkit didn't want to imagine how deep, or cold, it was.

Right when they stopped though, Dawnkit didn't have a chance to evaluate the situation. Just as she looked around she spotted the dark outline of two cats treading up the river, right toward them.