Soon, Runningpaw and Ashstar came to a shaded clearing. "I can see Tallpines from here," Ashstar remarked thoughtfully. "We must be getting close."

Runningpaw nodded. "But will we get there by the end of today?" He asked anxiously. The glowing orb of the sun was slowly starting to slink below the horizon, making a beautiful, tinted view of the sky, but telling the apprentice that night was not far off.

Ashstar shrugged. "We might. But will that stop us if we won't? It will probably be easier to travel at night, since the dogs aren't out. And all of the Twolegs will be resting, so we will have our chance. We'll have to spend the night somewhere. She'll have to show us where we can spend the night."

Runningpaw nodded. She had a point- it would be much easier to travel at night since almost everything in the Twolegplace was resting. But Runningpaw couldn't help but wonder- was Molly resting too? Would it be hard to get to her without getting into a Twolegs nest? These thoughts coursed through his head like the syrupy mixtures that Mossflower and Cinnamonpaw always made with herbs.

Ashstar ignored how worried Runningpaw looked and shouldered her way through the leafy ferns that led to Tallpines, which led to Treecutplace. That was where the Twolegs cut the trees in Tallpines to make more nests.

Soon, Twolegplace was in sight. He could see the tops of the Twolegs nests, black and gleaming like Hurricanesong's pelt.

Ashstar seemed to read Runningpaw's mind. "Hurricanesong is the ShadowClan deputy," She stated. "That was why he was so aggressive. He's ambitious, too…a bit too ambitious. Something tells me that he would do anything to become leader…" A small shiver crept up her spine as she padded along the dead pine needles.

Runningpaw's eyes rounded. "The deputy? How can ShadowClan cope with having such a…a monster as a deputy?" Personally, the apprentice was a little ashamed for saying another warrior was a monster out loud, especially in front of a leader.

But fortunately, she didn't seem daunted by his comment.

"Yes, I can hardly believe that they handle it. But he is their deputy, and they must take orders from him." She sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I…I'm afraid…for Cinderhope. I don't think the rest of the Clan likes him very much, especially Mudpelt." She shuddered again, this time it went all through her body from her nose to her tail tip.

"I like Cinderhope!" Runningpaw protested. "He's like a father to me! Yeah, the father I never had!" He beamed at the thought of having such an honorable cat as a father.

Too bad that he had another father- and Runningpaw didn't just think that it was too bad. He knew it. His father was anonymous, and nobody but Ashstar and a couple of the elders (including Goldpuddle) knew who he was.

"Yes, he can be very…loyal, at times." Ashstar simply mewed. Runningpaw's ears perked with curiosity. That was simple for a cat that admired Cinderhope so much.

"So are we going to be there soon?" Runningpaw asked, trying to change the subject.

"Probably. I can see the roofs of the Twolegs homes above the trees. Are you ready, Runningpaw?" She asked.

The light brown tom nodded yes.

"Do you remember what nest the kittypet lived in?" She asked curiously. "It might help a bit so that we don't have to look into every one."

Runningpaw sighed. He forgot to ask the kittypet where she had lived so that he could know where to pick her up. But surely he could look into the clear stuff on the nests to find her, right?

"I'll take that as a no," Ashstar sighed. "Well, then I guess we'll just have to try and find her. StarClan knows what nest she's in. I mean look at all of them!" Ashstar pointed her smoky gray muzzle around the Twolegplace. "There's a sea of them!"

"I'm sure that her place is close," Runningpaw assured Ashstar. But what his leader didn't realize was that he wasn't just reassuring her, he was assuring himself too. "It must be since she had wandered into the forest. No soft kittypet I know is brave enough to get lost in there."

Ashstar nodded and purred. "Good strategy," she mewed happily. "You are getting better every day, Runningpaw."

Runningpaw tried not to smile as he followed Ashstar through the ferns that led to the towering Twoleg nests.

Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. A loud one. It sounded like something big and lumbering…was it a badger?

Ashstar, instantly thinking the same thing, pressed herself to the ground, her ears flattened to her head.

Runningpaw, too, felt nervous. Badgers were a huge threat, especially for a cat! They could chop a cat in two with one swipe! Or bite for that matter…

But it couldn't possibly be that big- it sounded light on its paws, but pretty big in size. That definitely wasn't a badger- a pregnant fox?

Suddenly, a pale brown shape came flying into Ashstar. Surprisingly, it was a cat. Its claws were out and were being raked down the leader's back. Blood came oozing out of Ashstar's back and she wailed with pain. Had the cat reopened one of Ashstar's wounds from ShadowClan?

Runningpaw unsheathed his claws as a growl came up in his throat. "Rrrah!" He snarled as he flew onto the unknown cat.

At first he whapped the back of her head hard with his paws (and claws). That didn't seem to daunt her, even though she did seem to start to get dizzy. It must have given her a headache.

Fortunately, the cat was off of Ashstar. But the condition was that it was positioned to Runningpaw, flaying its claws threateningly.

Runningpaw snarled. He curled his lips and pawed the dust with his claws, leaving a trail of marks scored down the earth.

The cat leaped at him with its claws fiercely sheathing and unsheathing in the air. Runningpaw curled his lips as he smelled kittypet. What kind of kittypet had the gall to try to pretend to fight on a forest cat?

Knowing exactly what to do, Runningpaw slid around behind the kittypet, taking her by surprise. Judging the distance and positioning all of his weight onto his front paws, Runningpaw kicked out with all of his might.

The kittypet howled as it flew across the dusty floor. Its light green eyes glared up at Runningpaw, daring him to make another move.

And he did. Swiftly, he dashed to the side of the kittypet where it couldn't reach him, and reared up on his hind legs. The light green eyes of the cat were widened with fear and it winced as it expected the wind to be knocked out of itself.

Suddenly, Runningpaw recognized her. "Molly!" He breathed. "Is that you?" He asked unbelievably.