Happy Birthday Nightfeather! Hope your day is the best ever!

One other thing. I keep thinking I should give everyone a review reply the same length as all the others and I always feel guilty when someone's review reply is much shorter than the others. So, (mostly to clear my conscience) I'm going to put here that it really doesn't matter how long or short your review replies are. They really depend on how long or short your reviews are and they're all just as heartfelt as the others. If you want a longer review reply, you could always tell me in a review so I can make sure I don't leave anyone with a shorter one than they want!

The Age of Awesomeness: Candy canes! You should be able to get them on sale now, right? Because the Christmas season is over?

EradrinSkyleaf: *takes cookie* *gives back Legolas-shaped chocolate* Here you go for being awesome! Except you might have to melt it down and put it in some hot chocolate or something instead. I got braces about two years ago and got them off last spring, so I get the hurting teeth. :( I hope you can eat something solid within the first few days! XD

QLKwriter: Oh my gosh, that would be so… um, I want to say funny but then I'd feel bad because Cinderpaw would be crushed. :P Whatever, it would be so funny! (sorry Cinderpaw) I think I had something like a Nestle crunch bar around Halloween. It was rice Krispies inside chocolate and it was actually really good! I've never had a Nestle crunch bar but I'm guessing they're delicious from that.

XxLight-of-Flaming-OakxX: Caramel + Chocolate (not too much chocolate though) = YuMmY! XD And I think I knew I wanted something to be wrong with RiverClan, but I thought fighting would just make them shy away from the idea of fighting more at the lake, so I was like, "Hey, what about sickness?" and then I was like, "Oh, wait, MistClan505 put sickness in (her?) story, so I might have just gotten that from her. Huh. Well, I'll go ask her for permission." So I'm not sure if it was your idea or my idea or a combination, so let's just say it was your idea, okay? :P (that was a really long explanation that comes around to the exact same thing you were saying. Wowwwww self)

WillowdreamofForestClan: Yeah, that'd be great! :D I'm not too good at drawing backgrounds (or the cats themselves, for that matter, without some sort of model) so I'd be honored if you would draw a background! Okay, so how about I finish up the drawing today and then send it to you on Deviantart? I'm not sure how to do that but I'll figure it out! I hope!

ShadowHawk540: You made an account! :D I'm so happy for you! (I hope this is you, because if not… /o.o\ *embarrassed*) Okay, I'm curious now, what music did you have that so perfectly set the tone of the last chapter?

Anova00: I've heard of Milka before, but I've never tried it because it always has traces of hazelnuts or something in it. -.- I really hate my allergies, let me tell you.

Nightfeather: Two reviews? I'm honored. ;) That's cool that you celebrate the New Year twice. That way I guess you can make two sets of resolutions if your first resolutions fail… And I was sort of trying to make it seem like Cinderpaw wasn't jealous, but she hated Badger anyway. But you never know, she might be a little jealous in her heart. :P The deep dark depths of her heart. And yes, I did plan it so this chapter would come out on your birthday. A little present from me. :) Happy birthday!

Rainpaw's POV

We waited out the rain under a discarded sheet of metal propped against the wall of a Twoleg den. Hyperion and I shared his pigeon, as I'd given mine to the starving Alderpaw. When, finally, the rain cleared, we crept out from under the metal and padded down the alley.

"So, are you heading back to the forest now?" Hyperion asked conversationally.

"Yeah," I replied, only half-listening to the golden tom. My eyes were instead fixed ahead on Aspenpaw and Alderpaw.

Hyperion followed my gaze. He seemed to understand the general picture of my thoughts, because he asked next, "How are Sootpaw and Cinderpaw?"

"They're fine," I said, though a little too quickly.

Hyperion raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

I unconsciously looked down. "Well, at least I think they're fine. Last I saw them, Cinderpaw was leaving on a mission to bring back RiverClan and Sootpaw was sitting in camp trying to keep the Clan together."

Hyperion almost stopped dead. He paused for a heartbeat, staring at me, before bounding forward a few paces to catch up. "Rainpaw, what's going on at the lake?" he asked in a lower voice than before. I wondered if he'd noticed Aspenpaw's and Alderpaw's sudden silence ahead.

I sighed. "Well, there are two Clans there at the moment. There's LeopardClan, that's us, and there's NightClan, the evil Clan. Nightstar, the leader of NightClan, wants to wipe us out. He attacked our camp about a quarter moon ago. His warriors… they – they killed…" I couldn't continue. I felt the pressure of tears behind my eyes. Blinking hard, I looked away.

"Rainpaw?" Hyperion's voice was gentler than before. "Did… did you find your father?"

I nodded, sniffling. "He led LeopardClan. He was the greatest warrior they had."

Hyperion didn't comment about the past tense. He merely looked at his own paws for a heartbeat, giving me enough time to quickly lick my paw and swipe it across my eyes. Then, he meowed, "Is Sootpaw now leading LeopardClan?"

I nodded.

"But you don't have enough cats to fight NightClan?"

"No." I looked up at him. "That's why Cinderpaw went to find the remnants of RiverClan. That's why I'm trying to get back to the forest. We need help. Otherwise NightClan will wipe us out."

Hyperion blew out a breath. "They're that strong, are they?"

"During the battle they lost two warriors and the others had deep, crippling wounds. Two sunrises after that, they attacked our border patrol and seemed to be at full strength again. We're probably still recovering," I finished hopelessly. "We need backup. I don't think there's any other way we could possibly win this war."

Up ahead, Aspenpaw and Alderpaw had started whispering to each other. Though Hyperion and I weren't talking anymore, Hyperion lost in his thoughts, I couldn't hear one word the two spoke. I padded along in silence, worry for my littermates coursing through my body. What had happened to them? Were they going to be all right? Had NightClan attacked again? If not, what was holding them back?

I felt fur brush my side and looked up to see Aspenpaw walking beside me. "I, um, couldn't help but overhear you and Hyperion," she began slightly awkwardly. "But Alderpaw and I were born in that same forest you spoke of, I think."

"The one that queens and their mates retreated to when war broke out around the lake?" I checked.

Aspenpaw nodded. "Exactly. Alderpaw and I wanted some adventure, so we left as soon as we became apprentices and have lived in the Twolegplace ever since. Hyperion helped our mother and father through the Twolegplace before, so we found him and he showed us how to survive here." She paused for a heartbeat and my thoughts began to spin. What was she trying to say? "What I'm trying to say is that if you want, Alderpaw and I could come back with you. The three of us could go back to the forest and convince the others to help."

"You – you'd really do that?" I looked up at her, eyes wide and hopeful. I couldn't believe what she was saying.

Aspenpaw smirked. "Well, if your conversation with Hyperion was how you normally talk, I think you'll need someone with a bit more forceful meow."

I grinned. "You're probably right."

Aspenpaw laughed. "That's exactly what I meant. Anyway, Alderpaw and I should be getting back to the forest anyway. We should see our parents. I'm sure they'd still recognize us, even if we did change our names." Her eyes got a slightly faraway look for a moment before she bounded forward to continue walking with her brother.

Hyperion glanced down at me, his eyes lively. "Well, now you've got two traveling buddies again," he said, a laugh evident in his voice. "Even if they're not Sootpaw and Cinderpaw, I'm sure they'll be good enough."

I laughed, too. I'd thought that at the other side of the Twolegplace, I'd have to say goodbye to my new friends as well as Hyperion before heading out alone once more. Now that I knew I wouldn't have to leave them behind, my spirits soared. "Come on, let's pick up the pace," I said before leaping forward into a sprint. I flashed past Aspenpaw and Alderpaw, calling to them, "Race you!"

It wasn't long before Aspenpaw caught up with me. She slowly gained ground on me, though I pushed against the hard ground with all my strength. She dashed past me, grinning over her shoulder. It wasn't long before Alderpaw also caught up with me.

"What is it with you two and running?" I asked, panting for breath.

"Well, when you spend your life running from Twolegs, Monsters, and dogs, you get used to it," Alderpaw meowed. He also grinned at me before racing on to catch his sister. He wasn't even out of breath.

I slowed just as Hyperion caught up with me. He nosed me forward, his eyes gleaming. "Come on," he encouraged. "You're not just going to take this defeat, are you?"

I fixed my gaze on the apprentices' bobbing tails, raised in triumph. My eyes narrowed. "No," I said quietly. "No, I can still win this race." I sped up, my paws flashing beneath me in a blur of gray. I leaped forward, racing at a faster speed than before, speeding ahead. Aspenpaw and Alderpaw were getting closer, the distance between us closing, Hyperion falling behind as I streaked forward.

Then, my exhaustion caught up with me and I tripped, hitting the ground hard on my shoulder and rolling to a stop. My lungs felt like they'd been struck by lightning, charred and black. I coughed hard, my sides heaving, my eyes shut against the shudders racing through my body.

"Stop!" Hyperion called ahead to the other apprentices, who skidded to a halt. I was pleased to see they were finally out of breath, but that triumph lasted for only a single beat of my overworked heart.

Hyperion bent down, sniffing me. "Rainpaw, are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

My breaths were getting more under control. I pushed myself into a sitting position, wincing as my bruised shoulder took my body's weight again. "Yeah," I panted, "I'm okay."

Aspenpaw and Alderpaw had bounded back to us. "Rainpaw?" Alderpaw asked, his voice also pitched higher with worry.

"Were we too good for you?" Aspenpaw teased, shoving me playfully. She paused when she saw me wince again. "Are you hurt?"

"Nah, it's fine," I grunted, shifting my weight so I could shake out my injured leg. "I can deal."

"If you say so." Hyperion still looked worried, but he helped me to my feet and we set off again down the alley. "No more racing until you get out of the Twolegplace, okay?"

I grinned through gritted teeth as I limped along. "How long will that be?"

"Oh, not too long," Hyperion assured me. "You should see the last Twoleg den around tomorrow afternoon.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Hey, it's you who took a tumble, not me," Hyperion said playfully, knocking one of my hind legs out from under me. "I wasn't the one who hit my head."

"It was my shoulder," I grumbled as I recovered my balance, but grinned all the same as we neared the end of the alley. I knew Hyperion could get me thought this Twolegplace like he could teach me how to hunt. It would be no problem whatsoever.

Yes, this chapter was a little shorter. Yes, I ran out of inspiration. Yes, I'm sorry. Yes, I'll try to make the next chapter longer. Sound good?

AOTD: My favorite candy would probably be something along the lines of Swedish Fish or Smarties, though I definitely prefer things like cinnamon rolls to candy.

AdOTD: Um… don't procrastinate? Sorry for the lame advice. XD I wanted to do an AdOTD today but couldn't think of anything better than that.

QOTD: What were some of your New Years resolutions and have you broken any yet?