So what's up fanfic readers! Sorry I took so long uploading, but better late then never right? Anyways this is a little short so please forgive me! Enjoy!

Rain and Lilly followed the two tabbies, who they found out were called Honey and Biscuit, through a series of backyards and gardens until they finally arrived at a dilapidated manor. They waited behind a rosebush a couple of tail-lengths away from the two carefree felines, as they sauntered their way inside.

Lilly arched her brow as she stared at the disappearing figures of their "guides". "Those two have got to be the most oblivious tabbies I have ever met." She mewed.

"Not to mention the dumbest, 'Biscuit why can't we fly?'" Rain mocked, imitating Honey's high pitched mew.

Lilly laughed as she joined in. "We can, Honey. We just need a good running start."

The two friends rolled over in laughter as they thought about the absurdity of it all. "We should probably follow them inside though." Rain chuckled.

Lilly nodded as she bounded towards the manor with Rain right behind her. Now that Lilly got a good look at it, the manor didn't seem that bad. Sure, there were a few holes here and there, but nothing a little hard work couldn't take care of. The red brick walls reminded Lilly of Rain's house and of what Rain sacrificed to make this journey with her.

"Just like home." Rain whispered as he padded up beside her.

"Rain, I-"

He raised his dark gray plume of a tail. "It's alright, Lilly, I'm fine. Let's just get inside." Lilly nodded and followed Rain into the manor. She sighed, she knew for a fact that Rain wasn't alright. He was probably thinking of Annabelle, his housefolk, right now and how heartbroken she must've been when she discovered his absence. Just like Jace…

As they entered the manor, Lilly and Rain were greeted by a group of cats gathered before a lit fire place, talking amongst themselves.

"Let's get closer." Rain whispered, inclining his head towards the assembly. Lilly nodded and the two stealthily slithered their way closer. Pressing their bellies to the ground, they managed to fit themselves underneath a weathered velvet couch.

"You are wrong, Father," a white tom hissed, "we can't just sit back and let Joker's goons terrorize our town!"

"Sit down, Perseus, and let Claudandus speak!" a gray tabby she-cat growled. "Besides, Joker and his main fighters are in Hildebrand City, so it's not like they're bothering us directly."

"But-"

"Briar is right, Perseus." Claudandus, a huge cream- colored tom, mewed. His tone was deep, smooth, and full of authority. It was obvious that this cat was the leader. "You are too rash. Plus, we do not have enough fighters for a battle against an army like Joker's."

"Lilly," Rain whispered into her ear, "do you know who this 'Joker' guy is?"

"No, I don't." Lilly lied, keeping her gaze on the conversing cats. She felt bad about lying to Rain, but there was a proper time and place for telling him about that horrific day and this wasn't it.

"Oh!" Honey yelped, snapping the two's attention back to the discussion the town cats were currently having. "All this talk of that big meanie reminded me of this juicy rumor I heard about from a couple of friends of mine."

"Do tell, Honey!" Biscuit urged.

"Well," Honey continued, "I heard that there was this young tom from one of the nearby neighborhoods that became one of Joker's advisors!"

Perseus huffed in annoyance as his fluffy white tail curled neatly around his paws. "Why would the 'great Joker' choose a cat from these parts, when cats are literally killing each other for a position like that in the city?"

Honey shrugged. "Who knows, but I think his name was Rusty…wait, that isn't right." Honey's brows furrowed as she tried to recollect the mystery cat's name. "Rusty, Musty, Busty…Darn it, none of those are it!"

As Honey was rambling off names, Lilly squeezed her eyes shut and let her claws tear at the faded gray carpet below her, mentally repeating the statement "Don't say Dusty. Don't say Dusty."

Honey giggled as she remembered the name. "Silly me, the name was Dusty!" She blushed as she continued, "They also said he was quite the looker."

Lilly's eyes popped open and her jaw hung. How could he! How could Dusty, her only brother, accept a rank in that bloodthirsty fleabag's clan! She shook her head. "That can't be true." She breathed. She slowly backed out from the couch, wanting to find Dusty and beg him to tell her that Honey was mistaken.

"Lilly, where are you going?" Rain hissed at her.

Caught in a daze, she didn't respond to Rain's question and bolted right into a tall pedestal, knocking it over. It landed with a loud thud that alerted the cats surrounding the fireplace.

Perseus unsheathed his claws as he bounded past the couch and towards the pedestal Lilly knocked over. Seeing that it was just a young she-cat, he retracted them and grabbed Lilly by the scruff. He dragged Lilly, who was thrashing violently, back toward the fireplace.

"Who was it?" Biscuit mewed, cowering behind Honey.

"This eavesdropping scrap of fur." Perseus growled after dropping Lilly in front of his father, Claudandus.

"I have a name, you know." Lilly hissed at him.

"Could you please tell us what that name is, young one?" Claudandus mewed, his dark green eyes studying her every move. Up close, Claudandus was huge. He even seemed to be bigger than Joker. "I don't know what he's worried about," Lilly wondered, "he seems like he could take Joker in a fight."

Lilly was roused from her thoughts as Perseus jabbed her with his forepaw. "Your name?"

She let out a hiss of annoyance at Perseus before turning towards Claudandus. "My name is Lilly, and I'm Dusty's sister."

A/N: So thanks for reading my lovely chapter! Please feel free to leave a lovely review for me! It lets me know you care! Also, free imaginary cookies to whoever figures out where the name Claudandus comes from! (Hint: it's from an old German movie!) Anywho, thanls for reading and please review! ~Pika