Hey y'all! Happy Belated New Year to ya. Here's the next lovely chapter of the Great Stream Tale. Darkpaw and co. are in for a surprise, that's for sure.

Let's see… plushies! Of course. The Ginger plushie goes to Andori-Isilee, I agree with what you said about the phrase, I actually did change what I was going to say halfway through but didn't correct it. And thanks to all my other wonderful reviewers, you all may have a Cooper plushie! More plushies to whoever reviews this next chapter.

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It soared into the sky, high enough to touch the clouds. Darkpaw had never seen anything so massive, so alien and beautiful. Its glass windows sparkled like the surface of a lake and its sides were smooth and gray, like rock but more artificial. This building, and the others like it, screamed the intelligence and power of the humans.

Owlpaw was glancing at the building carelessly, like he was inspecting fresh-kill. "It's fascinating and amazing," he said, "but it lacks something. It's just a mound of rock with no life. I find the ocean and trees back home to be much more beautiful."

"Back home," Mothpaw whispered. "So far away from where we are now." Darkpaw was surprised to see tears glinting on her friend's silver cheeks.

"Mothpaw, what's wrong? Isn't this amazing?! The stories we'll have to tell! Nobody ever dreamed of places like this existing," Darkpaw mewed, her green eyes shining.

"It's so strange. It's like being on the moon. I don't think we're ever going to find the Stream."

"Aw, cheer up," Darkpaw mewed soothingly. "Isn't that what you always used to say? Be optimistic?"

"Sorry," Mothpaw sighed. "It's just… I'm having second thoughts about this journey. I think it was a mistake."

"Not for me it wasn't," Darkpaw said. "I was meant to do this."

At that moment Owlpaw interrupted. "Look, look, I think that's a human!" He was squealing like an excited kit. Darkpaw laughed at Owlpaw, who was usually so serious, and turned her eyes to the street below (they were sitting on a hill nearby).

Amongst the dozens of rumblers that fought their way through the streets, Darkpaw caught site of the creature. It was walking upright, with its front legs hanging uselessly by its sides. It was pale and bald, except for a patch of brown fur on its head. Its exposed skin was covered with brightly colored cloth.

"It's so…. ugly," Mothpaw said, wrinkling her nose. Her tears had finally dried up. Even she couldn't deny that it felt strange to be one of the only ForeverClan cats to ever see a human.

"Look at it," Darkpaw breathed. "No wonder they build such strange things. They themselves are weird!"

"Simply incredible," Owlpaw said. After a few more moments, the three went off to hunt.

--

Darkpaw's belly ached, filled with the strange, unpleasant dinner she'd eaten. Bits of garbage, a mouse and not much else made her feel ill. Mothpaw and Owlpaw had fared no better, and by nightfall they were still hungry.

While the city was fun during the day, at night it was eerie. Lights like orange stars on poles cast pools of light, but they couldn't get rid of all the shadows. Darkpaw and the others had wandered down an alley, away from the rumblers, to find a place to sleep. Their only option was a metal trash can lying on its side.

With her right side pressed against Owlpaw's tabby fur and her left against the cold metal of the bin, Darkpaw closed her eyes attempted to sleep.

--

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Darkpaw's eyes flew open. A grizzly tom with coppery fur stood over her, grinning toothily down. The night sky behind him was rapidly lightening to a gray dawn.

Owlpaw staggered to his feet. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Nothin' much with you," the tom said. "But I'd like to meet those two pretty she cats you're with."

"What?" Mothpaw mewed sleepily.

"Go. Now." Owlpaw spit the words.

The coppery-brown tom looked insulted. "And leave without a bit of fun? I think not." Without another word, he stuck his head inside the trashcan and grabbed Mothpaw by her scruff, yanking her out. She gave a yelp, unsheathing her claws in confusion. Darkpaw hissed and scrambling to her paws, but as soon as she did the tom grabbed her the same way.

He pinned her to the ground, ignoring her hisses of fury and slashing claws. Darkpaw realized that the tom had more cats with him. Two more toms stood on either side of Mothpaw, and the fourth was blocking Owlpaw inside the trashcan. A fifth cat, a red tabby she cat with a pointed fox-like muzzle, hung back, watching.

"Hello, love, m'name is Davey, leader of the Alley Cats," the coppery tom leered down at her. She spit in his face and he snarled but didn't attack her.

"Don't you touch her!" Owlpaw yowled, shoving aside the splotchy furred tom in his way. He launched himself at Davey and the two fell into a snarling, yowling pile of fur. Darkpaw twisted to her paws like a snake and bowled into the gangly blue-gray tom next to Mothpaw. He wasn't much of a fighter, and Darkpaw could've easily beat him, but the others turned to help.

It wasn't much of a fight. Three Clan cats trained in the ways of battling, two of whom were warrior age, against four scruffy rogue toms. The she cat still held back, not assisting either side. The Clan cats whipped them easily, and eventually the Alley Cats turned and fled. Davey stopped before following, turning to them with blood dripping down his face, and growled, "No one challenges us! You've made an enemy of the Alley Cats, foolish kits!" With that, he retreated into the shadows and disappeared.

The fox-faced she cat lingered. She didn't say anything, but she flashed them a quick wink and a smile. With a swish of red fur, she was gone too.

The three apprentices stood together, panting and smeared with blood. Owlpaw rolled his eyes. "Great," he sighed. "Now we have a group of rogues who want our blood. Just great."

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Sorry this took so long. I've been SO BUSY with school, with Midterms and tests and project after project after project. I wrote, like, half of this chapter, but felt that it wasn't good enough. So I deleted it and started over. Yeah, sorry. But this finished one is good, even if it is somewhat short. Review, please!