Chapter 9:

"Rockfrost," The now Rockfrost mumbled, trying out the name. "I like that warrior name." Ashpelt called, "It was a 'yes' for the patrol!"

"Do we need to go?" Rockfrost groaned as he stretched his legs. "I just want to sleep! I just spent the whole night awake during the silent vigil. Wait... It was a silent vigil until the ambush happened. Mouse-brained CloudClan." Ashpelt blinked and didn't say anything. He flicked his tail toward the forest and dashed into it. Rockfrost sighed and bolted after him.

By the time Rockfrost caught up with him he had already killed a mouse. He purred and saw a rabbit nearby. Suddenly, Rockfrost pounced on it, but missed. Ashpelt let out a mmmrreeooww of laughter and meowed, "Why did Icestar make you a warrior? You can't even catch a little bunny!" Rockfrost purred and pounced on him instead of the rabbit. He hissed in surprise. Then they play-fighted like little kits and lost the rabbit in the bushes.

"So what did you do while you were gone?" Rockfrost asked, giggling.

"Icestar sent me to spy on CloudClan," Ashpelt explained, licking himself. "Apparently, they are also losing cats, just like Flamewing." Rockfrost drew back suddenly from him, surprised.

"How do you know?"

"Well, while you were sleeping, I went to Icestar and asked what the matter was. He told me about Flamewing and that she was gone. Then, I told him about the missing cat in CloudClan. His name was..." Ashpelt stared into space, straining his face like he had just eaten crowfood. "I think it started with Thorn... Thorn-something... Well, anyway, I talked to Icestar and he told me the problem with you." Ashpelt finished.

"Well you learned a lot from the last few days!" Rockfrost joked. Ashpelt jumped on him and they ran around until to sun dipped below the horizon.

After Ashpelt and Rockfrost calmed down, they went back to camp and then joined the patrol with Leafstorm, Saturn and Sandclaw.

Rockfrost went over the LeafClan's border and sniffed around for any cats. A CloudClan scent hit the roof of Rockfrost's mouth and it startled him.

It was fresh.

There must be a CloudClan warrior around here somewhere... Rockfrost thought. But where? As he looked up, a golden blur sped past his brown muzzle. Rockfrost jumped back in surprise as a golden she-cat appeared in front of him, snarling.

Brightstorm watched the TwoLeg spray green fog all around her. Tinypaw's little stubs of legs were shaking madly, like he was chasing a mouse in the forest. Thornfrost and Flamewing were hissing and spitting blindly, back to back.

Suddenly, Brightstorm heard snoring next to her. Darkblaze! Brightstorm quickly looked back at Thornfrost and Flamewing. They were sleeping too. Tinypaw had collapsed after them. Blinded by rage, Brightstorm flew at the TwoLeg, but it caught her by the scruff. Brightstorm clawed at its muzzle in fury, making it lose its grip. She dropped to the ground and hissed. But Brightstorm felt dizzy the next second. The TwoLeg stood a mouse-length away from her and Brightstorm saw it shove the sleeping cats into different little spaces.

Brightstorm's vision blurred. Her legs collapsed and she was also shoved into a little space. As Brightstorm heard the TwoLegs shouting at another, she slowly fell asleep.

Flamewing woke up to yowling, meowing and loud clunking noises. She stirred and groaned as she sat up. The first thing she saw were the bars close to her muzzle.

"Oh no," Flamewing whispered, remembering Saturn's words about the TwoLegPlace.

If his words were right that would mean she would be in an animal shelter.

Flamewing barely had room to lay down in her cage. Flamewing stood up but suddenly was pushed back as her head bumped the roof of the cage. She cried out with pain and Thornfrost heard her.

Flamewing had a bowl of drinking water and the small pellets that Saturn told her about. "Flamewing?" She heard Thornfrost call. "Where are you?"

"Over here!" Flamewing called out, still surprised and hurt. "Have you seen anyone else, Thornfrost?"

"No," came his voice. "I have not." Flamewing peeked through the bars of the cage and saw Thornfrost looking into her cage. Flamewing looked over and she found Tinypaw.

His leg was stuck in the bars and it was bleeding harshly. " Hey, is that... Tinypaw?" Tinypaw looked up, surprised. He meowed to Flamewing sheepishly, "I thought I could slip through the bars. But I can't. Well," He meowed as his leg slipped father out of the cage. "Maybe I can!" He meowed excitedly as his chest slipped out. Suddenly, his whole body came out of the small cage. He fell to the ground, limping a little bit because of his leg.

Flamewing called out to him, "Tinypaw, can you open this thing for me then I could help you get the others?" He nodded then padded up to Flamewing and pulled at something with his sharp fangs. The bars gave in, and Flamewing pushed out of the box. "Those TwoLegs were so mouse-brained," She mewed as Flamewing freed Thornfrost. "To put you in a big cage!" Tinypaw looked at her and mewed. "A cage?"

"That thing that you were stuck in." Flamewing answered. Tinypaw nodded as he pulled at Darkpaw's cage wires. When Brightstorm was finally out of her cage, the Clan cats looked around for Lily. They didn't see her anywhere. "Wait! Did Lily get caught?" Darkblaze asked.

"No," Brightstorm meowed. "She ran away... Just like a kittypet." Thornfrost flinched as Brightstorm finished.

Then they looked around for a exit.

Flamewing's eyes caught the shine of the sun in a corner of the room. "There!" She mewed. Flamewing swiftly climbed across the cages and when she got to the top, Flamewing almost fell off. Then, she motioned for everyone to follow. Flamewing poked her head through the hole then jumped out of the shelter and into the pouring rain.