I just really want to Brightsun for being so supportive and optimistic for this story! I really appreciate it. I can't even begin to really express my thoughts for you. Thanks so much!

Chapter 24

Ashwinter ran after Dustrise, who clumsily was knocking any Twoleg waste in his path over. Ashwinter cleared the silver caves and trash—living in Twolegplace for six moons had given her a pretty good feel for her surroundings. Dustrise slowed to a halt.

" She's here. Somewhere." He whispered when she stopped next to him.

" Alright."

The two crept forwards, scanning the darkness for Honeymallow.

" Ashwinter, over here!" Dustrise called softly. Ashwinter slunk over to him, catching Honeymallow's scent and the faint gleam of her pelt in the darkness. Ashwinter flicked her tail to signal Dustrise to stay where he was and slowly padded towards her friend, careful not to wake Bone. Ashwinter prodded Honeymallow with her paw.

" Honeymallow, wake up!"

Honeymallow groggily blinked open her eyes. " Ashwinter? What are you doing?"

" Dustrise came to get us. Come on, we're going home!"

Honeymallow scrambled to her feet.

" Thank StarClan!" she sighed.

Dustrise glanced around. " OK, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to get us out of here the way I came in. We've got to stay completely silent. I don't want BloodClan to know you're gone until morning. Let's go."

Ashwinter nodded and smiled encouragingly to Honeymallow before heading after her Clanmate. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed across the sky. Dustrise slunk around buildings with the she-cats following as rain began to fall.

" Good," he murmured, half to himself, " it's going to be harder for them to follow."

" Don't worry," Honeymallow whispered, " it's been raining non-stop lately."

" I know," he replied.

The three turned around a giant Twoleg nest and arrived back at Scourge's den.

" Wait here a minuet," Ashwinter hissed before stalking slowly up to the box. She ducked her head underneath the edge. Scourge's flanks still rose and fell steadily. Ashwinter backed out and dashed back to her friends.

" Coast's clear. Let's go," she meowed softly.

" OK," Dustrise purred and set himself to leap over the shiny thing he knocked over earlier.

" No, no, no Dustrise!" she hissed in a sudden panic.

" What?" he meowed back.

Ashwinter held his amber gaze. " We need to stay silent, remember? And last time you attempted that, you were less that graceful."

Dustrise opened his mouth like he was going to contradict her, then meowed, " Yeah, well. It was taller when it was upright."

" We'll go around," Honeymallow cut in impatiently.

It was a stupid thing to be arguing about. Ashwinter glanced back to Scourge to make sure he was still asleep. The three continued onward and soon came to the Twolegplace fence. Dustrise jumped to the top.

" Hurry, before some stupid kittypet comes to gab on about pointless stuff."

Ashwinter looked over her shoulder to Honeymallow.

" I'll be fine," her friend meowed before the question was spoken.

Ashwinter nodded once and jumped up next to Dustrise. Honeymallow followed with little difficulty despite her slightly swollen belly.

" Well, we know our way back from here," Dustrise meowed as he jumped down and onto the grass. Ashwinter plopped down beside him and bounded after Honeymallow through the ferns. Dustrise ran beside her.

" It's good to have you back, Ashwinter," he meowed, " I've missed you."

" Glad to be back," she replied, smiling.

They arrived at RiverClan camp by early morning. Ashwinter and Honeymallow lay down under the Hightree just in time for the camp cats to emerge from their dens. Dustrise disappeared into the warriors' den.

" Dustrise where were you?" Bluefire's voice floated across the air. Ashwinter smirked.

" Oh, just came back from the dirtplace." Came his reply.

" You look really tired," his sister observed.

" I am, so I think I'll just sleep for a little while longer…"

" OK."

Bluefire padded out into the clearing with Aspenmoon and began to walk towards the freshkill pile before stopping dead in their tracks. Bluefire stared for a moment before racing over to Honeymallow and Ashwinter.

" Oh wow! Ashwinter, Honeymallow, I…what…?" Bluefire was at a loss for words.

" Yeah, we missed you too," Honeymallow meowed as the rest of RiverClan raced out of their dens to see the missing warriors.