Chapter 29

Dust rolled across the open landscape as Willowcloud padded across. The forest loomed behind her, signaling that she was in a new world where she didn't belong.

She tried not to think about is as she opened her jaws to taste the air. Out in the open scents were mingled with one another. She found it difficult to point out individual scents. It was like searching for a mouse in a pile of undergrowth.

I have to find cats who are willing to side with us, she thought determinedly. Rogues or loners might decide to fight against Ghoststar if they knew his true intentions.

Twoleg nests slowly began to take over the area. At first they were scattered in certain areas. She wondered if this was where Leopard and his sister had grown up. The way he described his former home made it sound as though he had lived in a larger Twolegplace.

Willowcloud flinched when she heard the roar of something large in the distance. Her eyes widened as she saw something race across a black path. The stench the creature left in the air made her eyes tear up.

This is…something new, she realized. Leopard had never told her of such creatures. Their paws moved along the path and seemed to avoid the sandy soil. She was thankful they avoided her hiding place. She wasn't sure if she could outpace such monsters.

"Not so pretty isn't it?" She jumped in surprise when she heard the voice of another cat. She whirled around to see an elderly looking tabby standing behind her. His face was covered in scratches, and part of his eye looked as though it had been torn out. "I'm surprised you don't remember me, tree-climber."

"Archer, right?" Willowcloud recalled the story that Leopard had told her. This was the same cat that had killed his sister. She needed to be careful, but such a fighter might prove to make an excellent ally.

The tabby blinked in surprise, as if he never expected her to know his name. "How do you know me?" He tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"Remember a ginger and darker ginger kit?" He still had a look of confusion, but she could see a flash of realization in his one eye.

"I…I remember the fight," he stammered. "I wasn't the one who killed his sister!"

"I know." Willowcloud looked down at her paws. Leopard had told her that while he was fighting him off, a snake had bitten his sister. "I wanted to thank you though, for letting him live," she murmured.

"What?" Archer snorted in disbelief. "After everything I've done to the both of you, you still thank me?"

Willowcloud felt confusion squirm it's way into her belly. She had wondered the same thing at the time. But part of her knew that if his sister had lived, Leopard would have never left her side. The two of them would have never met…. Willowcloud was certain that fate had worked it's way in her favor.

"Archer, I need your help," she added after a heartbeat of silence filled the air. Even those creatures had stopped running along the black path. She wondered if something had stopped them. The loner's ears pricked forward with interest at her sudden choice in words. "Do you know about the Clans?" She was relieved when he gave a faint nod. There was no need to explain what was happening then. "There's this cat called Ghoststar who is planning on increasing his territory. He's taken over the other Clans, and they've combined into a single Clan. It doesn't really have a name, but they don't seem to care."

"Wait, so you're saying this Ghoststar character wants to invade Twolegplace?" Archer's voice was filled annoyance as he asked the question. "I highly doubt he can do such a thing. Our Twolegplace makes this one look like a baby mouse!"

"That's not the point!" Willowcloud's fur fluffed up in frustration. "Ghoststar will stop at nothing to get what he wants. If there are cats in his way, they will die. He's killed before, and he is more than likely to kill again." This time she seemed to have Archer's attention. The mention of death seemed to make every cat stop and listen. "Please, do you know if there are any cats around here willing to fight for their territory?"

"There are plenty of rogues and loners around here," Archer replied. "Even the kittypets would be willing to fight for their territory."

Willowcloud was doubtful that kittypets would fight. Yet she remembered Orangestripe and how he had fought for his Clan for seasons upon seasons. The elderly tom had done what he could to provide for his Clan, even if he couldn't have a mate or kit.

"Very well," she meowed. "I'll wait around this area until you return."

Can I trust him? she wondered as he gave a nod before racing off. Once again the noises of those stinky creatures filled the air, and she found herself edging away from the black path. I hope I can…we need all of the help we can get.

. . .

The sun was beginning to set by the time she saw signs of life other then the creatures. Her pelt was covered in dust and grime, and she hated every bit of it. She knew that washing in a stream was her only option. Such grime would stay on her tongue for moons, and likely poison her.

Her ears pricked forward in alarm when she saw the lean shape of Archer approaching her. Behind him were several cats who were in similar shape. She rose to her paws and raised her chin as she realized that the rogues would want to know who she was.

"These cats are more than willing to fight for their territory," he meowed as he approached her. He nodded towards a bulky looking black and white tom, whose tail looked as though it had been cut off.

Willowcloud flinched at the sight, but straightened herself after feeling reassured about trusting herself with Archer. When she explained what had happened in the forest, several of the rouges or loners looked shocked. The black and white tom, who she assumed was the leader, simply listened contently.

"It seems you forest cats don't know how to defend yourselves," the black and white tom eventually said. His voice was an icy calm as he gazed at his group of cats. "When Archer came to me it sounded as though you could rip all of us apart in our sleeps."

Mousebrain! Willowcloud glared at Archer, but he didn't see it. Lying was not part of her plans, and it seemed as though the rogues might turn against her if they had the chance.

"However, this Ghoststar or whoever he is sounds like a threat," a blue-gray she-cat murmured. "I don't want him threatening me or any of my kits."

"I wouldn't fight!" An older looking ginger-brown tabby was rising to his paws as he glared at Willowcloud. "I'll just search for a new home."

Others began to follow him, leaving behind a wide gap between the rogues. Willowcloud knew that several of them would be against fighting. Fighting wasn't in their blood, they didn't know the difference between life or death when it came to living in a Clan.

"If we were to join you in this fight, what would we gain from it?" The black and white tom ignored the cats that had left.

I never thought about that, Willowcloud thought.

"Erm…. I'm not sure," she replied.

"How 'bout we get a moon or so of hunting in the forest?" The blue-gray queen's eyes gleamed at the idea. "Finding prey in the forest will be easier than begging for food from the Twolegs."

Willowcloud's lip curled in disgust at the idea of eating Twoleg food. Orangestripe had often talked about it when she cleaned out the elders' den. The orange tabby had told her that the food was dry and tasteless, but it helped him survive until he found his real destiny.

"Very well," she meowed. "For five moons you may hunt in the forest after the battle, if we succeed."

I hope StarClan approves, she thought as she looked up at the darkening sky.

"Five moons sounds reasonable enough," the black and white tom agreed. "We shall join you in the fight for survival." His teeth flashed for a brief moment before the others around him yowled in agreement.

Willowcloud felt her lips curving in a faint smile. For the first time in moons, she felt as though Ghoststar could be defeated. He had no nine lives, which made him vulnerable. With the rogues, she knew that the battle would be easily won.

A/N: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I'm loving the way this is going, and the story itself is slowly coming to an end.

By the way, would anyone like to recommend names for the rogues? Having trouble coming up with their names. Next chapter should be up sometime tomorrow or later on today.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that since these cats don't know what a Thunderpath is, they don't know what monsters (cars) are. The cats in this forest have never actually left their territory, which explains why they know so little about the outside world of Twolegs.