Chapter 17

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As the patrol padded back towards camp, we stopped to hunt for a bit. I managed to catch two mice and a shrew. As Brambleclaw congratulated me on the good haul, he crouched over next to me.

"I know that Shadowclan started that fight," he meowed softly, "but you shouldn't have gotten involved."

I nodded, knowing that Brambleclaw was right. I shouldn't have tried to fight Snaketail; we didn't want another battle so soon. I gazed through the forest, looking at the plants that had just begun to recover from the Great Battle. It was easy to remember how it looked filled with screeching cats, all wanting to tear each other to pieces.

Brambleclaw padded away, leaving me to carry the prey back to camp. When we got there, we deposited our prey on the fresh-kill pile. I picked a mouse to eat, although I still wasn't used to the idea of eating things raw. I guess it was okay, but I still didn't like it. What I would give for a warm, juicy steak, covered with barbecue sauce and...

"Jaggedscar? What are you doing?" I snapped back into reality as I saw Lionblaze staring down on me. I looked at the ground in front of me, seeing a small puddle of drool.

"Oops," I said, embarrassed.

Lionblaze shook his head, and then beckoned towards the thron tunnel. "We need to talk."

Uh-oh, I thought. This might be about the Dark Forest. How will I explain-

"Do you like Hollyleaf?"

I paused for a minute, and then shook my head. "Well, that's out of left field."

Lionblaze cocked his head. "What?"

"You know, unexpected. It's an expression, back where I come from."

Lionblaze nodded. "Uh-huh. Anyways, do you?"

I wanted to back away; this was getting really awkward. "Can I?"

Lionblaze shrugged. "I guess, I mean, if she likes you too, then... It's okay."

I nodded, trying to look formal and classy. On the inside, I felt like cheering to the heavens, as fireworks boomed in my head and people were cheering all around me.

People.

Suddenly, I felt almost to overwhelmed to speak anymore, and I muttered a quick apology to Lionblaze as I pelted away. I ran for the edge of Thunderclan's territory, running until I reached the edge of the border, at a wooden fence. I stared at it for a long time, this flimsy border between me and civilization. I climbed up to the top of it, and I saw an old road, leading to a few houses. I stared, until suddenly a person, a small child, popped up in front of me.

"Kitty!" She screeched in delight.

Aww, crap, I thought, and dashed off the fence, all nostalgia for people and good food gone. I ran until I was out of breath, and right at the thorn tunnel to camp. I puased for a minute, hoping that the girl hadn't followed me here. I listened carefully until a patrol came up to the tunnel.

"Jaggedscar, what are you doing?" Sandstorm asked, apparently a little freaked out by my behavior. I scrambled out of the way.

"Nothing, just-"

Suddenly, the bushes by the entrance waved wildly, and the girl burst through, shouting, "Kitties! Losta Kitties!"

Of course, with my luck, she reached down and grabbed me, and began running away. I heard the yowls of my Clanmates behind us, slowly growing fainter.

Shit, I thought. This is gonna suck.