Sorreltail gasped, her eyes glimmering. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

Brightheart stood in front of us, her tail lashing back and forth with fear. "Sorreltail, run back to camp and fetch Leafpool," she ordered. "Spiderleg, show me and Lilypaw where these loners are…"

I followed the two Warriors, wondering why Brightheart hadn't sent me back to camp to bring Leafpool—after all, it was an apprentice's task. Fear mounted in my chest as the smell of blood entered the breeze. StarClan, let it all be alright! I thought, panic flaring in my head.

"Over here!" Spiderleg panted, leaping to the side of a dark, broad-shouldered tom slumped on the ground. Blood gleamed on the grass nearby him, but the tom lifted his head, blue eyes glowing weakly.

Brightheart sprinted to the dark tom's side, and I followed her. A long cut, too wide to be inflicted by cat's claws, tore across his shoulder, and there were shallower scratches on his belly. "Are you alright?" Brightheart demanded, looking alarmed. "What attacked you?"

The dark tabby tom's flanks heaved as he drew himself up to his paws. "I'm going to be okay," he panted. "Where's…my…" His blue eyes, as bright as Jaypaw's, spun wildly, as if he were looking for something.

I flinched, looking around the clearing. Several other cats were sprawled out along the ShadowClan-ThunderClan border. Brightheart's paw touched my flank softly. "Lilypaw, go look at the others!" Brightheart ordered sharply. "But stay close."

I glanced at my mother. Her scarred face was contorted with fear, and I remembered, again, the long claw marks that stretched across her muzzle and her empty eye socket. Looking down at the dark-furred rogue, I wondered whether my mother was reliving that moment.

Do I help? I wondered, glancing around the clearing. These are loners. They were on our territory without our permission! A surge of fear and anger raced in my stomach, in spite of the danger these loners might be facing.

Sorreltail's dappled pelt brushes against my grey-striped one. "This isn't a time to be proud, Lilypaw," she snarled, as if she could read my thoughts. "Would you leave a ShadowClan cat to die?"

Probably. They're all hairballs. But whatever you say.

I padded hesitantly towards a golden-brown she-kit that looked about six moons old. She looked fairly unharmed except for a deep scratch that put a v-shape in her delicate ear. Her bright blue eyes, widened and I noticed that they were bright and slightly clouded, as Jaypaw's were. Absentmindedly, I placed my paw over her flank. Is she blind, like Jaypaw? I wondered.

"Lilypaw!" A sharp, familiar voice sounded from behind me. I looked up into Jaypaw's bright eyes. "What're you doing here?" His fur was fluffed out as he crouched over the cat's tiny body, licking at the wound in her ear, which was oozing dark blood.

"I—well," I said, trying to find the words to describe how I'd gotten on the patrol in the first place. My limbs were shaking so hard at the scent of the loners' blood that I was surprised to still be standing.

"There's no time!" Jaypaw's mew was gruff, and his manner seemed to be more businesslike than usual. This is Jaypaw as he's been training to be, I thought, my body flooding with admiration. "Get me some poppyseed, will you?" He beckoned with his paw to several neat piles of herbs lined up near where Leafpool was standing, crouched over the body of another loner.

My head was still spinning as I glanced down at the body lying between us. It was a loner—the scent on her pelt was not ShadowClan's, or WindClan or RiverClan's, for that matter—and yet, a cat in danger was a cat to be saved. I shuddered as Jaypaw's tail brushed my flank. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded fiercely.

I sprinted towards the row of herbs, feeling a pull of foreboding. The herbs all looked the same in the clear moonlight, and their scent mingled. I looked down, selecting several dried flowers that looked like it could be poppy. Heart racing, I ran back to Jaypaw's side, delivering the jawful of herbs.

Jaypaw looked down at the flowers, scooping up a few into his jaws. "D-d'you need me for anything?" I asked uncertainly, watching as Jaypaw smoothed a poultice over the cat's scratched cheek.

"I'll be alright, Lilypaw," he murmured. "Go look for another cat to help." His jayfeather-blue eyes merged into one as his face pressed closer to mine; our muzzle brushed against each other. As I walked away, I felt a certain tingling warmth in my heart, mixed with uncertainty and fear as I joined Leafpool and Brightheart, who were looking down at a golden-brown queen. The queen looked a few moons younger than Squirrelflight or Leafpool, and her coat was the same color as the young cat's who Jaypaw and I had been tending to.

As I approached, Leafpool looked up at me, her amber eyes meeting mine. "Find something for this one, will you?" she asked. "Poppyseed…maybe some feverfew…" Her voice trailed off as she turned back to her patient.

My paws were sore soon, and my tongue was numb with the bitter taste of many herbs. Leafpool had gathered the loners together. There was the dark-furred tom, who was standing over the others, glaring challengingly at us, three kits: one pale-brown with a white chest, one honey-gold with the clouded blue eyes, and the last silver-blue with a single golden-amber paw, and the golden-brown queen Leafpool had been tending to, who was slumped, unconscious, with a sheathe of silvery cobwebs wrapped around most of her body.

Spiderleg stepped forwards until he was a mouse-length or so away from the dark tom. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Why are you on ThunderClan's territory?"

The tom looked up, his blue eyes gleaming and his fur fluffed out. The cut on his shoulder was still oozing blood, but he looked battle-fit. "I'm Evan," he announced, dipping his head in Leafpool and Brightheart's direction. "We had no idea that there were cats living in these parts."

Spiderleg drew back, looking gruff and disgusted. "No idea of the four Clans?" he snorted. "Where do you come from, at any rate?"

Evan drew back, wrapping his tail protectively around the three kits. "Don't talk to me like that!" he snarled, his tail lashing.

Sorreltail stepped forwards, smoothing her tail along Spiderleg's bristling spine. Spiderleg looked up, disgruntled, but Sorreltail spoke before he could say a word.

"You all have been attacked," she mewed, "And our Leader would like to hear your story, I'm sure. Spiderleg, let's take them back to camp."

Looking very annoyed, Spiderleg added, "As prisoners."

Sorreltail didn't respond.

The journey back to camp was in silence. Leafpool and Brightheart supported the body of the unconscious rogue between them, and Spiderleg padded at the front of the group, his spine bristling. I wondered, vaguely, if these cats represented the terrible stench we'd scented near ShadowClan, but their scent was just unfamiliar as opposed to offensive.

As we neared the entrance to camp, the guards—Squirrelflight and Whitewing—looked up. Whitewing turned to me, her green eyes glimmering with confusion. "What's going on?" she breathed. "Where'd all the torn-up cats come from?"

I paused, waiting for the others to go on. "We found them near ShadowClan's territory," I breathed back. "Sorreltail said Firestar'd want to hear their story."

Whitewing's whiskers twitched with surprise. "I want to hear their story," she whispered. "Come on, Lilypaw, I'm headed into camp." My sister nodded politely at Squirrelflight, escorting me towards the center of the clearing.

Firestar was standing atop the rock where he addresses our Clan, and Evan was standing in the center of the semicircle of ThunderClan cats. I sat at the edge of the crowd with Jaypaw, who was keeping watch over the three kits. He nodded briskly at me, motioning with his tail to where he wanted me to sit.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under me for a Clan meeting!" Firestar called, but there was no need; ThunderClan was already assembled below him, staring with hostility at Evan. I turned around to peer into the Medicine Cat's den, Leafpool was crouched over the still-unconscious body of the honey-colored queen.

As Firestar opened the gathering, a furious crescendo of curious cries erupted from the Clan gathered below.

"Who is this cat?" Dustpelt called from his position wit the senior Warriors.

"The moonrise patrol brought back kits and a queen, too! What is the meaning of this?" Mousefur called, in her irritated, raspy voice.

Firestar looked down at us, his emerald eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. "Spiderleg," he mewed, "Led the patrol. I'd like to hear how he explains this."

Spiderleg padded forwards, his ears lowered hesitantly. "Brightheart, Sorreltail, Lilypaw, and I were on the moonhigh patrol," he mewed, his voice ringing in the clearing. The first rays of dawn slanted onto his fur, illuminating his black fur into a reddish-brown. "We scented blood. There were five loners there," he added, "A queen, this tom, and their three kits."

"Where are the kits?" Ashfur snarled, and I saw his claws sink into the frosty earth as he glanced around, his spine bristling.

"The kits're with me," Jaypaw mewed softly. Ashfur craned his neck to look at the three kits sitting, wide-eyed with terror, and gave a grim snort of acknowledgement.

"The tom's name is Evan," Spiderleg added, "And he claims not to know of the existence of the four Clans." Evan and Spiderleg locked eyes, their lips curling back to reveal thorn-sharp teeth.

Firestar raised his head, his voice uncharacteristically sharp. "Evan," he meowed, his tail swishing back and forth, "Why have you brang your family to our forest?"

Evan's dark, blue-black head raised to stare unabashedly at Firestar. "My mate Camilia, and I are Travelers. You keep calling us loners." His voice had an unusual twang to it, unlike the cats I've been around. "We're not. We've traveled all 'round this land't some point're other. We came back from th' mountains." He flicked his shadow-colored tail towards the grey blur of the mountains in the distance.

Nearby, I could see Brook straighten up. I remembered that Brook was originally from some mountain Tribe, and she had been brought to the forest by Stormfur. "You were in the mountains?" she called.

Evan turned to face Brook. "I tell ya, we've been everywhere. Seen cats living in the sandy beaches, in caves in th' snow, behind waterfalls. We were just passing through before we got jumped by some big creature."

"ShadowClan?" Firestar asked, his eyes holding a bright glint of curiosity. "Cats, but with a different scent than ours?"

Evan shook his head. "Bigger'n a cat, I reckon. Plumy tails, prick ears. Amber eyes and sharp claws." He shook his head again, pausing to lick the bloody wound that sliced his shoulder. "Two 'r three of 'em, I reckon. Attacked all of us. Couldn' see quite wha' they were. Camilia tried savin' the kits." He looked over to where the three kits were sitting with Jaypaw, and his blue eyes locked with Jaypaw's. "Then y'all came runnin' for help. Brought your healer and her 'andsome apprentice."

Some eyes turned to Jaypaw, and he looked down, looking slightly unnerved. Firestar nodded at Evan to continue. "Took a fair while to get back here, I oughta say. The kits as frighten'd as anything. Camilia unconscious."

Firestar's eyes followed Leafpool, who was gliding out of her den. Compared to the relative hostility towards our newcomers, Leafpool looked noble and bright, her fur splashed with blood. She sat near to Brambleclaw and Greystripe, nodding at Firestar.

"Camilia's your mate, isn't she, Evan?" she called in her warm, breathless voice.

A glow of fear appeared in the Traveler's vivid blue eyes. "She alrigh'?" he called.

Leafpool turned to face the dark-furred tom. "She's alright," she mewed, "But in no state to travel. Firestar…?" her voice trailed off, and I realized that she was trying to allow Evan and his family to stay with ThunderClan while Camilia's wounds healed.

Firestar looked uncertainly down at the Traveler in front of him, then to the three kits sitting at Jaypaw's plumy paws. "Leafpool, how long will it take for Camilia's wounds to heal?" he mewed. His voice held a certain authority, and I knew what his fear was—ThunderClan always appeared to take in non-Clanborn cats. My gaze flicked from Firestar, who himself was a kittypet; Millie, a kittypet that Greystripe had taken as a mate; Daisy, the cream-furred queen that brought with her Berrynose, Hazelpaw, and Mousepaw; my own father, Cloudtail, who had been given to his uncle as a gift to ThunderClan in one of its greatest times of need. Will Firestar let them stay? I wondered.

"About a moon." Leafpool locked eyes with her father, and nodded. "Perhaps longer, but she looks strong."

Firestar's nodded, with a note of finality in his words. "Then they may stay for that long." He nodded to Evan. "Your kits will sleep in the nursery, and you will sleep with the Warriors. Lilypaw, will you show them around?" He nodded at me, green eyes meeting blue.

"I will, Firestar," I promised, rising to my paws. Jaypaw's glance locked into mine, and he flicked his tail at the three kits sitting at his paws.

"Then you all may go." Firestar nodded in dismissal, and the Clan meeting began to dissolve. Apprehension prickled my fur as I realized that cats were staring about, casting dark looks at Evan and his kits. Nearby, Mousefur whispered to Ferncloud, "I'm not so sure about that Traveler and his family. They seem a bit dodgy, telling tales of a large creature in our forest…"

I strained to listen to the rest of the two she-cat's conversation, but a tail brushed my hindleg. I looked up to see Evan towering over me, his blue eyes glinting. "You're the cat showin' us where to stay?" he asked.

I flinched, glancing from Evan to his kits. "I—I am," I stammered. "You sleep…over there." I nodded to the sheltered bramble bush where the Warriors slept. "I'm not sure what Firestar'll have you do most of the day." You're all prisoners, I added, though I didn't say this out loud. "Erm…well, it's almost sunrise now."

Evan's head tilted in confusion, and I whisked my tail rapidly from side to side as I explained. "You know…when it gets all bright. It happens every day after it gets dark"—

Evan's gruff mew cut me off midsentence. "I'm not daft, li'l one," he growled. "I know what a mornin' is. But don' we get any time ter sleep?"

I sighed, glancing around for a savior. I noticed Brambleclaw approaching us, his dark tabby fur proudly groomed and his amber eyes glinting majestically. The proud way in which he carried his body reminded me of another, a cat who I had stumbled upon in my dreams…

Tigerstar. I tried to shake away the feeling.

"Evan, you and your kits are coming with me," the tabby-pelted deputy ordered. "Lilypaw, Thornclaw wants me to tell you that you've got the day off training." He nodded briskly at me, and I vanished.

No sooner had I left the Travelers with Brambleclaw before Jaypaw found me, pressing his muzzle against my cheek. "C'mon over here, Lilypaw," he breathed, signaling with his tail to a secluded patch of heather just outside the camp.

I rolled over, looking up at the ruby-streaked sky. A Twoleg bird flashed from high above, creating a long line of white steamcloud. "Big day," I yawned, raising my neck to lick the tip of my tail.

Jaypaw's tail flicked. "Yes, it was," he agreed. "But Evan's story got me thinking about something."

I sighed. "What? Mousefur already told me she didn't trust them—not you as well?" Jaypaw, having a trace of kittypet blood in his veins, couldn't possibly feel wary of the travelers because they weren't Clan-born. Or could he?

"No, Lilypaw—what got me thinking was the idea of Evan's, of the animal that nearly ripped him and his family apart. Don't you think—Stronger than a dog, smarter than a cat…?"

His voice was so pointed that it reminded me of Brambleclaw's sharp, bossy mew. My mind was racing. Brambleclaw…Tigerstar…the dream…Tigerstar's warning of danger…stronger than a dog, smarter than a cat!

My head snapped up in alarm. "Y-you don't reckon…the animal Evan spoke of…was the danger our forest is facing? They seemed to have…sharp claws…"

Jaypaw's eyes were sparkling with fear. "No, that's not what I'm thinking," he mewed at last. "It's what I know, and it's what I'm afraid of."