The four cats padded down the worn out path, leading to the ThunderCaln border. Trees shielded them from the blazing sun, the thick branches only allowing a few rays to seep through, to warm the pelts of the warriors. Stormpaw's thick dark gray pelt soaked in the warming light like a sponge. They were moving at a fast rate, eager to reach the large sun-bleached rock that indicated ThunderClan's territory. Stormpaw glanced at his trainer, Dewriver wondering if she was having any trouble. Dewriver had been dangerously injured only one moon ago from a battle with some stays that had been looking for a fight. She had been in the healer's gentle paws the entire time, not allowed to train Stormpaw. Tigerstorm had trained him at that point. He had enjoyed the big tabby tom's company, but had visited Dewriver when he had spare time, and he had hunted for her, ignoring the rule that said that hunters hunt for the Clan. Lighteningstar understood and allowed him to do this, but cautioned him not to make a habit of it. When he looked at her now, she looked the same. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he concreted on the nearing border. Hawkpaw and Falconwind were ahead of them, enough to be out of sight, but Stormpaw could still smell their fresh scent.

"Thieves! You have been stealing our prey!" Hawkpaw's outraged meow echoed through the dense trees. Stormpaw and Dewriver sprinted to their Clan mates' sides, lips drawn back into a menacing snarl. Hawkpaw was lashing her tail furiously, and her ice-blue eyes blazed, as she slid her long claws in and out. Falconwind looked calmer, but they could all feel the waves of fury coming off of the huge tabby. Three ThunderClan thieves faced them, a dark gray she-cat at the head of them. A small ginger apprentice and a large brown tom flanked her on either side. A fat mouse hung from the apprentice's mouth, the heavenly scent riding the small breeze. Stormpaw bristled and let out a snarled, while Dewriver growled, and took a step forward to step beside Falconwind.

" The mouse crossed the border. It's ours." The she-cat explained calmly, while the other two, bristled. Her pale yellow eyes were heard, and she glared at Dewriver and then at Falconwind. Stormpaw growled deep in his throat. Liar! That mouse has LighteningClan scent all over it! He thought viciously. Hawkpaw growled as well, and slid her claws out, and stepped forward to face the she-cat. Stormpaw copied her, his fur fluffed up, so he looked twice his normal size.

"You stole it. The ThunderClan border is back there. You've crossed our border, and stole our prey." Falconwind spoke, his cold voice hard, as if daring the she-cat to deny it. His deep green eyes bore into her gray pelt. He flicked his tail to the large white rock, about 15 feet behind the ThunderClan cats, indicating the border. The she-cat snarled, and the apprentice set down the mouse and whispered something to the brown tom.

"You are wrong. This is sun-bleached rock. We have many smaller sun-bleached rocks in our territory." The she-cat spoke evenly, but her dark gray was fluffed up with tension. Dewriver snarled, and went over to the rock. Falconwind stayed calm, and kept a watchful gaze on the ThunderClan cats.

"Lies! This is sun-bleached rock! It has both of our scents on it, and don't tell us, that we marked the wrong rock!" Dewriver hissed, as she inspected the rock. Stormpaw growled with pleasure, as the apprentice sped away, leaving the prey. Falconwind let out a grunt of surprise, as the she-cat pounced on him, and knocked him off his paws. Hawkpaw let out a battle cry and leapt to her trainer's side, slashing at the she-cat. Stormpaw leaped onto the brown tom, landing squarely on his shoulders. Dewriver was there in an instant, knocking him off his paws and Stormpaw jumped off.

"Graysmoke, we can't win! Let the mouse go!" The tom screeched, as he backed up to avoid Stompaw's lashing claws and Dewriver's snapping jaws. He had lumps of fur on the ground, and a bleeding wound on his side.

"Never! This ours! We have survived longer than any other Clan, we aren't being destroyed now!" Graysmoke answered, as she clawed at Hawkpaw, her claws meeting Hawkpaw's shoulder. Pale yellow eyes glared at the tabby apprentice, with a fire of hate, it made Stormpaw shudder. Hawkpaw let out a screech of pain, and she attacked the dark gray she-cat, only to be swatted to the side, and pounced on. Falconwind tore away from the brown tom, and streaked over to help his struggling trainee. A flash of white, brown and black fur then distracted Stormpaw. ThunderClan! The apprentice must have gotten reinforcements! We're outnumbered! Stormpaw thought in horror, as three more cats faced them.

"Stormpaw!" Dewriver's pained voice, flashed Stormpaw back into the battle. He looked for her, spotting her gray pelt, under a black warrior. Her dark blue eyes were flaring with the heat of battle.

"Stormpaw! Go, get help! Hurry, run!" She gasped as she sprang forward, to slash the tom's muzzle. Stormpaw's paws moved without order, flying over trees and the ground. He was suddenly in LighteningClan camp, explaining what happened, before his mind processed what just happened. Fear gripped him, as he wondered how much time had passed. Was he too late?