Coalfoot and Drakefeather trembled in Bleachstars piercing gaze. They'd just returned from the edge of the territory, where the scent of the four cats had ended. Drakefeather continued his report in a trembling voice. It was almost comical, the two obviously powerful toms shaking in fear of the big white tom, except for the murderous glint in Bleachstars honey brown eyes. "And there scent ended at the stream outside our territory. They went north, though, so Rainclan can't be involved?" it sounded more like a question then a comment.

Bleachstar snarled in rage at Drakefeather, who backed away, eyes large. "You dare to come back here and tell me that nonsense?!" He roared at the toms. "Of course Rainclan had something to do with it! Do you think anyone else would have known where to find her?! That this Blue just wandered up and heard of her, and decided to steal her from under my nose?!" Coalfoot and Drakefeather exchanged nervous glances.

"T-the full moon isn't that far away." Coalfoot meowed shakily. "You could confront Quickstar about it?" He could tell instantly that this was the wrong thing to say. Bleachstars nose was mouse-lengths away from his face.

"Do you even have a brain in that empty shell you call a head?!" He demanded. "Confronting Quickstar about the fact that HIS daughter was missing from OUR camp, would mean admitting that we stole her! What do you think the other clans would do once they discovered that we stole an apprentice?!" Coalfoot looked down at his paws, Fearful of Bleachstars rage.

Drakefeather stepped in hurriedly, "Coalfoot wasn't thinking, there's no way we could ever admit to taking Articpaw!" Bleachstar studied Drakefeather in his piercing gaze.

"So what, Drakefeather, do you propose we do?" His voice was acid, and had the exact effect on Drakefeathers stomach.

He swallowed, composing his thoughts as best he could. " We could send someone, and tell them to be like Blue was. I mean act like they wanted to join Rainclan." He said hurriedly at Bleachstars furious expression. "Even if they don't accept them, they'll still find out if Articpaws there or not." Drakefeather relaxed slightly as Bleachstar looked thoughtful for a second.

The toms stomach was in instant knots again as Bleachstar grinned wickedly down at him. "Your mate had kits recently, correct?" Drakefeather gasped.

"But Bleachstar," He begged, "There only three moons old! They can't do something like tha-."He was cut short by Bleachstars angry growl.

Drakefeather lowered his head in fear as Bleachstar explained his reasoning. "You suggested it, Drakefeather. It makes sense that kits they've never seen should be the ones to carry out your little plan." Bleachstar turned and stalked over to Articpaws nest, sniffing the lining. Her scent had set his nerve ending alight ever since he scented her at her first gathering. She smelled like Persimmons and peaches, there was no way he'd allow her to escape his grasp.

Drakefeather sighed in defeat. There was no way Bleachstar would be persuaded other wards. And it very well might save his and Coalfoots lives at this point. "Very well, Bleachstar." He looked up to Bleachstar, watching him as he turned to look at Drakefeather with a slightly pleased expression.

The white tom nodded. "Go now, Drakefeather. Bathe yourself and Flykit, and leave him near the Rainclan border." Drakefeather felt his heart twist. Flykit was the smallest of his three kits, and he knew that Bleachstar was aware of the dim chance of survival he possessed if Rainclan cats didn't find him.

But he only nodded and disappeared out the mouth of the den. Coalfoot made to follow him, but Bleachstar stopped him in his tracks. "Where do you think your going?"

Drakefeather winced as he heard Coalfoots screams. He tried to ignore the screams as he slunk into the Nursery.

Rosemane looked up at her mate and cocked her head curiously. "Drakefeather? What's wrong?"

----

Cobalt felt like ripping his tail off and doing some kind of loopy dance with it. The other three had insisted on stopping to hunt, despite Cobalt's continued debate that there was plenty of prey back at his den.

Besides his irritance at having to stop, Spadeheart was really starting to get on his nerves. It had been Spadehearts idea to stop and hunt in the first place. He seemed sure that Articpaw would pass out from hunger if they didn't eat soon. Articpaw hadn't said anything on the subject, only glanced hesitantly at Cobalt.

So here they were, Cobalt sitting down and watching the other three cats chase rabbits in the field. The grass was fairly tall, and Articpaw seemed to have trouble finding the speedy creatures. He almost jumped as Ashscatter dropped some kind of bird beside him and sat down. "Enjoying the view?" He asked with a knowing glance at a flash of creamy white fur as Articpaw pounced.

Cobalt huffed at Ashscatter. "She's not very good at hunting, is she?" He said settling his head on his paws and studying a line of ants as the paraded in front of his paws.

Ashscatter grinned. Cobalt was either very complex, or very simple, but Ashscatter was having a hard time finding out which. "Maybe you should go help her?" He nudged slightly. Cobalt looked up at the silvery gray cat. He really wasn't anything like his brother.

"I learned how to hunt by myself, she can to." Ashscatter shook his head and nudged the bird toward Cobalt.

"That's for you, you look like you need something fresh." The silvery gray tom got up and padded off to meet Spadeheart, who seemed to be wrestling with a large rabbit. Cobalt looked down at the bird, his mouth watering. It was true, he hadn't often hunted for himself. Oh he could hunt when he wanted to, he just didn't usually want to. There was always some kind of food nearby, so Cobalt had taken to watching the sky whenever he was hungry. Circling buzzards or crows always meant food, so he watched them instead of the twitching leaves of the forest.

All the same, he dug into the bird hungrily. He didn't notice as Articpaw came up and sat next to him, exactly where Ashscatter was before. He almost choked when he heard her quite voice. "How far away is your den?" Cobalts bright blue eyes studied her for a second, coming to the conclusion that she was just trying to make polite conversation.

Cobalt looked up at the sky. It was still early, but the sun was already up. "We should be there by sunhigh if we leave soon. He dimly noticed that she didn't have any fresh-kill. "No luck?" He tried to make his voice sound mocking, not entirely sure that he succeeded.

Articpaw arched a brow at him and Cobalt inwardly cursed. He never cared, why did he suddenly start? He was surprised when Articpaw smiled kindly at him. "Actually, I was very lucky." She seemed to laugh at some private joke.

He was slightly irritated now, what was so amusing? "Really?" He meowed looking around. "And how exactly did you get lucky?" His tail tapped his side in irritation.

The creamy white she-cat leaned down so they were face to face. "You came to bring me home, didn't you?" Cobalt could have kicked himself, he felt stupid. Why was he so flustered by her? Why did she have to come along and ruin his life?

"Yeah, well, it was all your dad." He looked down at the bird Ashscatter had brought him. He didn't want it now, and Articpaw didn't have anything. He pushed himself to his paws and turned to where Spadeheart and Ashscatter were talking. "You can have that if you want." He tried to sound offhand about it, but he heard Articpaws chuckle that meant he failed miserably.

He felt so many strange emotions at the sound of her laugh. What was this? What were these feelings anyway? Cobalt had so many questions, and he felt like he'd explode if he bottled them up for much longer. He shook his head and went off to make fun of Spadeheart. That would clear his head.

-----

Cobalt was the first to come over the hill that marked the start of his territory. A dark flash of fur caught his attention near the bramble bush he knew to protect his cave. He only had time to brace himself before he was bowled over by a black cat that only slightly bigger then himself.

"Where ya been, Coby?" The dark colored tom purred playfully. Getting up and off Cobalt when the diluted tortie started kicking at his belly. "Doin' a job, buddy?" His tone was playful, as though they were both kits. The tom looked up to study the other three cats with polite interest. Until he got to Articpaw.

"Yes, Dallas, I've been on a job." Of all the cats Cobalt had ever met, only Dallas could really be called his friend. Mostly because he was too stubborn to leave him alone, even when Cobalt threatened him. Still, Cobalt felt a flare of annoyances Dallas' eyes fastened on Articpaw and took on a mischievous glint.

As far as Cobalt knew, Dallas had sired four litters of kits. He was more then slightly annoyed that Dallas would look at Articpaw like he was doing now. He swatted him on the head with his paw, drawing the black toms attention back to himself. "These are Ashscatter and Spadeheart." He said, gesturing to the brothers who had been watching Dallas like they'd never seen anything quite like him. Which they probably hadn't, Dallas was one of a kind. "And this is Articpaw, she'll be leaving in a few days to go back to her father."

Dallas turned. "If you're just gonna give 'er back, why'd ya take her, Coby?" Cobalt shook his head. Dallas was different, yes, but he was so predictable.

"She was kidnapped, I was hired to take her back home." His tone closed the subject, but Dallas' curious gaze wandered back to Ashscatter and Spadeheart. The later of which had moved closer to Articpaw. That made Cobalt laugh inwardly. If Dallas wanted something, he'd fight for it. Some runaway warrior wouldn't get in his way.

But cobalt didn't say this, he thought it's be funny to see the bi-colored tom try to take on Dallas.

"Anyway," Cobalt interrupted their little staring contest. "Ash and Spade'll be staying with us for a while. They, apparently, can't go anywhere."

They corrected him instantly with "Ashscatter" and "Spadeheart" Cobalt just rolled his eyes. If they insisted on keeping their 'warrior names', that was fine with Cobalt. Whether he would actually call them that was anyone's guess.

Cobalt led the way down to the brambles that protected his den from the outside world, pushing through, he was welcomed by the many glittering objects he had horded over the years. Mirrors, silverware, the bells from kittypet collars, bits of jewelry, a few studded dog collars, he had it all and then some. He also had a lot of room for more. When Cobalt grew old, he wanted to do it in style.

He heard a collective gasp behind him, and turned to see Ashscatter, Spadeheart and Articpaw standing at the cave mouth and staring around at all his treasures. "What?" Ashscatter just shook his head and went to sit down near a few toys he'd found in some pets back yard. Spadeheart walked over to study a mirror as Dallas emerged from the brambles.

"Don't mind if I stay with ya for a while, do ya Coby?" Truthfully, he did mind. But Dallas never listened when Cobalt said no.

"Feel free to look around, but don't go far." Cobalt curled up on a bright pink towel and studied the other cats. Dallas was whispering something in Articpaws ear, and she was trying not to giggle. Cobalt was sure Dallas was saying something about him, and couldn't stop the angry glint in his blue eyes. Dallas always assumed he could have anything he wanted, why did he have to want Articpaw?

Cobalt wasn't familiar with jealousy, and was surprised by the wave of emotion he was drowning in. He wanted Dallas to leave, he wanted never to see his friends again. He wanted Articpaw to be laughing at something he'd said. Above all, he didn't want to bring Articpaw back to Quickstar.

The last thought surprised him. He was known for doing his jobs, and doing them well. Nothing had ever distracted him until now. But he knew it was true, he didn't want to put Articpaw behind him. He didn't want to think about never seeing her again. And he definitely didn't want to see her falling for Dallas.

He wanted to crawl into a dark hole, is what he wanted to do. Cobalt closed his eyes and let himself drift. His sleepless night and all the running they'd done since then starting to catch up to him. He knew what he wanted, yes. But Cobalt just didn't know what he would actually do. Visions of the beautiful creamy white she-cat danced before his eyes as he drifted into sleep. He wished he'd never met her.

---

Hello all! Its Kee . Thanks for all you comments and suggestions. Heres a question for you all, Should Bleachie die? I asked some of the people I RP with, and they were absolutely appalled at the idea. (Yes, Bleachie is originally an RP character, as are many of the characters you'll see in Strawberry Moon, and any sequels I may come up with afterwards.) So what do you people think? Do you really want Bleachstar to DIE?!