"I thought they smelled your parents though," Mudstar objected lightly, trying not to offend him. "There's no trace that they've been here. No pawprints or smells. Not a leaf out of place..."

__

"I'm offended," Darkwing said, ignoring the smoldering looks Lonestar was giving his sister. "I can handle him if he tries anything. He's just as injured as I am, and he's not as stupid as we think he is. Who would act up when they're being held captive in another Clan?" He blinked his large green eyes at her, the same eyes that had once belonged to Snakefang and Limefeather. "Come on; I'm hungry. You'll only be gone for a moment!"

__

"I don't want to get up either," Jadewhisper mumbled. "But I think we have to. There's things to be repaired and hunting to be done. The fresh-kill got trampled yesterday, and look..." She flicked her tail in the direction of a large tear in the bracken wall of the warrior's den. It was almost large enough for her to walk through.

___

Ravenfeather snorted, but said nothing else. To keep from lashing out at O'Brian, he dug his claws into the moist ground and shot him a withering look. His fur laid flat, but he still felt poorly towards them. He wanted someone who would fight back; after countless days of being useless after the wolves, he was finally feeling slightly better and wanted to work off the energy he'd built up. 

__

Chain glanced at the deep valley, shivers running up his spine. "It seems to go on for forever," he said in a hushed voice. "We'll have to cross it; there's no way around it. The walls are very steep though..."

"Then we'll have to be careful!" Tessa declared just as Ravenfeather, Tiger, Gucci and O'Brian joined the group. She paid no attention to the tension between them. "I'll go first; I'm smaller, so it will be easier for me to see if there are any loose rocks or such. Any other larger cats will probably knock things loose and start an avalanche."

Without waiting for Deathnote's approval, she started down the steep incline, light on her paws. Her injured shoulder slowed her slighltly. She hopped from large stone to large stone, pausing only when there was a large gap between rocks. She slid down the loose dirt, crashing onto the stone with a thump. Getting up, Tessa grinned up at the other cats. "Come on, then! Tiger, you come next, and then Gucci!" She wasn't even close to being half-way down, but no rocks had come loose yet. It seemed safe enough. 

Deathnote rolled his eyes comically, not able to hold back a smirk. She would have gotten along great with Oakfeather.

As soon as Honeywhisker left, Lonestar let the seeds drop from his mouth, getting onto his paws. "I'll call for Boneshatter," Darkwing warned, eyes darting nervously to the entrance of the den. The larger tom only shrugged with a crooked grin. 

"There's no need. I just want to know where Tigerpaw is..." His eyes glinted angrily. The little she-cat knew too much, and with her alive in the forest, he knew she had to be eliminated. The truth could not be revealed.

"Why?"

"None of your business, fool. Just tell me where she is."

"No!"

"Then I'll crush it out of you." Before Darkwing could cry out, Lonestar jumped on top of him, squashing the air out of his lungs. He couldn't breath. "I can't hear you," he taunted, "Speak up. I hate mumbling."

"I don't know," Darkwing admitted, gasping for breath. The edges of his vision were black, darkness closing in. His struggles grew weaker, and he began to choke on the fresh blood in his mouth. Something sharp dug into his neck, a familiar feeling, and then something warm and sticky seeped through his fur. He was beyond realization.

The world dropped from underneath him, and when Darkwing opened his eyes, he was staring into the eyes of his mother and father. His fur sparkled with starlight. The pain was gone. "Hello son," the small black tom he remembered so well said with a sad smile. "It's a shame we meet again so soon."

Lonestar slid off of the younger tom, nudging him with one paw. He didn't move. He cursed, leaping to his paws. His left eye was pinched shut where Boneshatter had clawed him. "That weakling," he muttered, casting a dark glance in Darkwing's direction. "I barely even sat on him. My claws didn't even go that deep." He paused, pricking his ears. "I have to get out of here... before these wretched cats see me." He slid from the medicine cat's den and sprinted towards the camp entrance.

__

"Maybe," Mudstar said. She looked up to smile at him, sudden movement in the background catching her attention. "Lonestar!" she cried, leaping onto her paws. "He's getting away!"

__ 

Boneshatter looked up from the finch he was nibbling on. First his eyes focused on Honeywhisker, then the large tom running from his den. His front right paw left bloody pawprints on the ground. "No!" he said, abandoning his meal. He darted after Lonestar, but Boneshatter wasn't built for running. The other tom made it out of the camp before he could stop him.

He stopped running, staring at one of the bloody pawprints on the ground through blurry eyes. I've failed my Clan, he thought miserably. Then he looked behind him, in the direction of his den. Darkwing... "Honeywhisker. Go check on Darkwing!"

__

Jadewhisper paused, unable to make out the commotion outside. Her voice quivered when she spoke. "Shadefang. Come on. Something's going on." 

__

"I don't need any help," Ravenfeather muttered sourly, even though he couldn't deny that he was looking forwards to staying behind with Tiger. He flicked his ears and ignored the others as Deathnote followed after Gucci. 

__ 

Tessa continued downhill, hoping the others would follow. She stopped every few seconds to look back, not really paying attention where her paws were landing. Now she was about halfway down, and met with a dilema. The large rocks jutting out from the sides of the crevasse ended there. The rest was loose pebbles and dirt. Would they have to slide down to the bottom? What if they gained so much speed they tumbled into the river? 

__ 

Chain trailed after Deathnote, leaving O'Brian, Tiger, and Ravenfeather at the top. The black warrior looked murderous; he just hoped that he wouldn't shove anyone off of the cliff. Chain was careful to land on his feet lightly. It was only when he saw something paculiar that he stopped.

There were paw prints at the bottom, on the banks of the river. Not big enough to be wolves or dogs but not small enough to be a rabbit's. Cat's paw prints. There had been other cats around.

He didn't know if there were any two-leg nest around, though, so he stayed silent. 

Ravenfeather hopped down the next few stones carefully, the movement causing jarring pains in his legs.

Tessa laughed, gazing at the water. "Hey, Gucci, we'd be best to wait for the others before crossing." She dabbed one paw in the river, drawing it back quickly. "That's really cold!"

_

"If I was a fish, I wouldn't swim in there, but I'm sure there is some." Chain said with a shrug.

__

Lonestar pushed past the two she-cats hovering around the medicine cat's den, moving to take his spot next to Darkwing's nest. 

Boneshatter gritted his teeth, ignoring the words that Jadewhisper said as he passed. He knew, deep down, they were true. Sitting down in front of his herbs stores, he let his anger and guilt simmer and boil, turning into a burning hatred. He lashed out without thinking about it, claws sinking into leaves and berries. Juices spilt onto the ground like blood, only fueling him to destroy more of his precious medicine. He only stopped when everything was ruined. 

__

"If anyone is to blame, it's Boneshatter; it was his job to watch Darkwing. He knew how hostile Lonestar was, but look how quick he was to leave his den." Jadewhisper shot a dark look at the white and silver tom, then turned to leave Honeywhisker by herself. "It'd be best if you brought him out so everyone can mourn." She padded up to Shadefang, pressing her face into his fur. "Lonestar killed Darkwing. How horrible."

__

Mudstar couldn't handle it. "Get him out of there," she whispered. "Lonestar will be staying in my den from now on. StarClan forbid he slaughter anyone else in their sleep.." She unsheathed her claws, dragging them across the hard-packed earth. "StarClan, have mercy on us."

Tiger gave Ravenfeather a sympathetic smile, "This will be much more fun when I'm on the bottom." she said with a laugh.

__

Gucci laughed, "A river? Cold?" she asked sarcastically, "Never would have guessed." she dapped her ownpaw in the water and shivered slightly. And I though the humans tapwater was cold! She thought, "Kinda makes you wonder what its like in winter, since its moving to fast to freeze."  

__

Dawnshadow nodded, "And if theres a fish, I'll find it." she said with a confident smile, "I haven't had a fish in a long time."

_

Batear slowly made her way down toward the kittypets, not as fast as Tessa, but at least she didnt get her paw stuck and fall like Gucci.

_____

"Boneshatter," Honeywhisker said softly, "It wasn't your fault, you asked me to watch him, and I said I could. I messed up." she padded into the den and pressed ehr nose into her brothers fur, then her bright green eyes locked on Lonestar, "you." she hissed, fur standing on end, "you should be sent to the Dark Forest now, I would Gladly send you myself." she threatened, unsheathing her claws.

__

Shadefang blinked in suprise, then shook his head sadly, "Why must there always be innocent blood shed before there can be peace?" he wondered aloud.

__

Eagletalon tilted his head, "but Lonestar had very few injuries, what if he goes after you while you sleep?" he asked, eyes filled with worry.

Ravenfeather rolled his eyes, letting a small laugh escape him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy.

__

"I hope we're not gone long enough to find out," Deathnote commented with a smirk as he reached the bottom. Tessa grinned and dabbed her paw in the water again.

__

Chain smiled comically. "You fish? I would've thought you wouldn't want to get your fur wet or something." Then, he added, "I've done a little fishing myself. My sister is better, but whatever. I can feed myself."

_

_____

"Leave him," Boneshatter said hoarsely, not looking at Honeywhisker. "Killing him will not bring your brother back." He stood up, staring down at his unsheathed claws, dyed red with the juice of various berries. "I shouldn't have asked you to watch him, though. It was my job; and I put both you and Darkwing in danger." He flicked his ears, vision growing blurry again. "I just... need some time alone."

__

"Without darkness there cannot be light," Jadewhisper said, blinking her mother's green eyes at him. "The darker things get... the bright the sun shines in the end. It gives us a chance to appreciate life..." She paused, staring at him for countless seconds. "and the people in it."

__

"He'll soon find I'm a very light sleeper," Mudstar said, staring back at him with eyes flooded with an equal amount of worry. "But I've got 9 lives, and I'd rather loose one or two than risk others' lives. Every other cat in this clan only has one life to live."

"Maybe," Ravenfeather teased, "Maybe not." He landed hard on the next rock, back legs buckling. He sat there for a moment, heart throbbing in his chest, before getting back up. He would need to be more careful. 

__

"Not all of it," Deathnote replied with a smile. "We have to be very careful not to waste food, though, as it is in shorter supply."

__

Chain chuckled. "I'd like to watch you fish, actually. Perhaps you could teach me a thing or two." 

_

_____

Boneshatter ignored Lonestar's words, which were distant and indistinct now. He felt horribly out of control; he'd let anger fuel his actions, which had ultimately lead to the death of a sweet, innocent cat. Perhaps he should take away the chance of that happening again. 

He set his front paws on the rough, stony wall of his den and unsheathed his claws, standing on his back legs. His pulse echoed in his ears. Slowly he dragged his claws down the wall, over and over, grinding away at his only defense; his claws. Boneshatter winced, a few tears falling as he began to grind away at his nerves. Blood dripped down the wall, staining his white paws. He'd make up for Darkwing's death; he'd pay for it with his own blood.

__

Jadewhisper pulled back and glanced about the camp. It seemed to be in ruins, blood everywhere, death's laughter riding on the wind, sorrow breeding in the cats' hearts. It seemed, with the quest cats missing, StrikeClan was backed into a corner, just as it had been years ago during her mother's years. Could they wiggle their way out again?

__

"I'm fine," Ravenfeather lied as he continued to climb downwards. He wasn't far from the rest of the cats now. "I just slipped, is all."

_

Tessa pulled back from the water, looking at Gucci with a confused ex
pression on her face. "I've never caught a mouse before- my two-legs had little traps for them. Apparently I was just there to look pretty."

Deathnote shrugged. "There will plent of time to learn." 

_

"I'm not afraid to get wet if you aren't," Chain said with a hint of a smile. 

__

"I suppose you're right," Jadewhisper murmured. "I just hope the rest of the clan thinks so too; everyone seems distraught."

_

"Who would you suggest?" Mudstar asked timidly, glancing around camp. She wouldn't be able to choose which cat, herself, so she thought it would go better if Eagletalon chose.