Chapter 2

"My beloved niece," the golden-rusty-furred she-cat spat, digging her claws into Seal's shoulders. "I remember the day you were just the size of a mouse. Why weren't you killed then?" The ThunderClan leader acted as though deep in though for a moment before snarling, "That's right. My weak brother stepped in and 'rescued' you."

Seal bared her teeth at Copperstar and snapped, "My father – your brother – was not and is not weak!"

Copperstar just laughed at the younger she-cat beneath her claws and, with a well-aimed swipe of her paw, left a deep set of claw marks on Seal's muzzle. The she-cat barely held in a yelp of pain, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes closed. Then she growled, "So, are you going to kill me now?"

"What do you think, you little brat!" was Copperstar's only reply. The other Clan cats had since surrounded the two, creating an unbreakable, living wall, so when Copperstar got off of Seal had no option but to follow the lead she set. She knew where she was going. She had seen cats come from the same place when she spied on the Clans. She wasn't going to any Clan camp. No, she was headed straight towards the heart of these half-blood-destroying monsters.

She was headed straight to the Gathering Island.

Russetpaw watched as Seal was lead towards the fallen tree. All he could see was a multi-colored blotch. Then he returned his attention to the terrain in front of him, uneven and dotted with rabbit holes. But the tom was naturally accustomed with this landscape due to his bloodline. Half ShadowClan and half WindClan. He had lost the ShadowClan cats long ago, but he didn't stop running until he had no other option. He didn't know where the half-Clan camp was, but the strong scent that was a seamless blur of all four scents showed he was close. He traced the scent to a gaping hole in the ground. He ducked into the hole, dashing down it and, when he emerged, he was panting hard and, almost instantly, a group of cats surrounded him.

Russetpaw had to blink his eyes against the harsh sunlight filtering into the hollow – the hole had lead to a hidden camp only accessible through that tunnel instead of an underground cavern. The cats surrounding him asked, "What Clan are you!" and "How did you find us?" and "Are there others?" But then one cat stepped forewords. Russetpaw didn't recognize this cat but realized this cat recognized him when it said, "We just rescued him. He's half ShadowClan, half Wind."

"Really, Blurry?"

"Well he's second-in-command. He should know which cats are which. Seal tells him everything."

The black tom looked Russetpaw up and down, ice-blue eyes narrowed. Then he asked, "Seal was supposed to return with you. Where is she?"

Russetpaw hesitated a moment, shocked by the severity of Blurry's tone. He gulped nervously and said, "The Clans captured her…"

"What!" A dark gray she-cat pushed forewords, stopping beside Blurry.

"It's okay, Sleet. We'll rescue her. We always have rescued others."

"But… she's Seal. They'll make extra-sure she doesn't get away. She's part all four Clans at least and she's been leading the rebellion since kittenhood when she rescued us."

The dark gray she-cat had big, dark blue eyes, like the opposite of Blurry's. Her tail and flanks were striped with black fur and her forehead and shoulders had similar markings. Russetpaw took another step back but before he could melt into the background as he had all his life to hide his lineage, Blurry glared at him and demanded, "Which Clan captured her?"

"It was a collaboration of all four," Russetpaw replied, adding, "and the cat that captured her was this rusty-golden-colored she-cat."

Blurry and Sleet shared a nervous glance and whispered, "Copperstar…" Several other cats began to mutter amongst one another.

Russetpaw, tired of technically being ignored asked Blurry, "Where am I?"

The tom looked back at Russetpaw and said, "You are in the heart of the rebellion. And you, my Shadow-WindClan friend, are Russetpaw, if I'm not mistaken?"

The ginger-pelted tom was taken aback by Blurry's accurate guess. The black tom laughed, "That wasn't a guess. Seal's been watching you for a while and has told me all she's learned about you to me."

Russetpaw just glanced down at his paws. He saw, from the corner of his eyes, Blurry rise to his feet and trot towards the edge of the camp. The scuffle of claws and the rustling of paws got Russetpaw's attention along with the call of, "All cats with open minds and hearts, gather here for a meeting."

The call was similar, vaguely, to the one in the Clans, though different, and, in Russetpaw's opinion, fitting for the ragtag group of half-Clan cats. He slowly joined the other cats gathering around Blurry's raised position.

"As many of you may know, Sleet and I's half-sister, as well as the leader of this rebellion, Seal, has been captured by the four Clans working together."

Half of Blurry's first announcement was drowned out, from the word 'Seal' onward. He rose his voice, calling, "Several cats will be sneaking into the Gathering to assist in her rescue!" then he waited for the clamor to ease down. He added, "On a lighter note, we have a new member. Everyone, this is Russetpaw. Rescued from ShadowClan, half WindClan."

Several cats cheered, "Russetpaw! Russetpaw!" before Blurry continued.

"Seal may have been captured, but she has helped our cause nonetheless with our newest member. From now on, you shall be known as Russet, until either the day the discrimination of half-Clan cats is over or the day you die."

Now the cats, and every one of the cats this time, cheered his name. "Russet! Russet! Russet!"

But the tom didn't pay any attention. He muted the cries from his hearing. All he could see was Seal, pinned down by the rusty-golden she-cat. All he could hear was Seal telling him to run. And, silently, he vowed he would save her, no matter what the costs.